Tulsidas Balaram: Remembering the heroics of late Indian football legend

The Indian football fraternity bid adieu to the third musketeer of the 'Holy Trinity' a few days back.

Tulsidas Balaram, widely recognized as one of India’s best-ever footballers, passed away on 16 February 2023. He was 86. Balaram was a part of the iconic Indian football team in the 1950s and early 1960s as well.

The Indian forward even received an Arjuna Award for his heroics in 1962. The Secunderabad-born footballer had a tough start to his career. He had to hire a bicycle to travel from his town to Hyderabad in order to get his first big break with the Hyderabad team for the Santosh Trophy.

Balaram made his breakthrough at the age of 18 when he played for Hyderabad. He started to make a bigger impact and helped Hyderabad win the 1956-57 Santosh Trophy title. Soon after that, he received a call-up to the Indian national team and the rest, as they say, is history.

Playing Style

Balaram was widely touted as one of the most dangerous attacking players of his generation. He primarily played as a left-winger or a centre-forward, But he was far from just being involved in goals. Balaram was the entire package, as he loved to totally control the attacking tempo and dictate the attacking moves.

His ball distribution and long-ranged passing ability were much revered. Being a forward, of course, he was devastating in the final third. Balaram scored 10 goals in 36 appearances for India and many at the club level.

An excellent inside forward, Balaram earned a reputation for his pace, dribbling ability and versatility in forward options. Former India captain and defender Arun Ghosh claimed that Balaram had ‘two eyes on the back of his head’.

Football historian Gautam Roy sums up the forward using this description: “Tulsidas Balaram was a complete player and could've fitted very well into today's total football. He could dribble, he could score and he had a brilliant header. Balaram was probably the best in Asia in his days.”

Balaram’s incredible contributions to India national team

The forward’s heroics for the India national team was something many footballers can only hope for. Unlike the case in modern times, India actually used to play against world-class opposition during Balaram’s time.

The Blue Tigers played in the 1960 Summer Olympics against some major European teams. That included games against 1958 World Cup semi-finalists France and a very good Hungary side. They lost the games against both, but Balaram had the opposition floored with his heroics.

He scored India’s only goal in the 2-1 loss to Hungary. Balaram was also among India’s best players in their famous 1-1 draw against France in the Olympics and also scored against Peru. In doing so, Balaram netted two of India’s three goals in the competition.

But as per the late great footballer himself, his best performances for India were in the Asian Games. Balaram participated in two Asian Games editions with India. His personal best (as per Balaram) was in India’s 5-2 win over Hong Kong – in which he scored and provided two assists. He also featured heavily for India in the 1958 Merdeka Tournament, scoring a goal and helping them finish as runners-up.

After missing out on a medal in the 1958 edition, Balaram and co were not to be undone in the 1962 Asian Games. He scored in India’s wins over Thailand and Japan in the group stages and tormented every single opposition defender with his heroics. The then-26-year-old forward was one of India’s best players and helped the Blue Tigers bag the gold medal.

Tulsidas Balaram had to retire from football a year or so after that. But his partnership with PK Banerjee and Chuni Goswami helped them earn the tag of ‘Indian Football’s Holy Trinity’.

Balaram’s heroics for East Bengal

At the club level, Tulsidas Balaram’s first major stint was for the revered Hyderabad City Police club of the 1950s. He enjoyed some prolific years with them, but his prime years were spent as part of East Bengal. The forward is recognized as one of the best footballers in the club’s history.

At the time when he played for East Bengal, he was almost treated like a king. As per the late Novy Kapadia, ‘as a token of gratitude, some (East Bengal) fans would take turns to accompany him when he went for the national camps and wash his clothes and run daily errands for him’.

Balaram joined East Bengal in the late 1950s and played under their legendary coach Sushil Bhattacharya. The forward helped the Red & Gold Brigaders win the 1958 IFA Shield – in which they defeated Mohun Bagan across two legs.

He soared in the 1959 Calcutta Football League (CFL) season, scoring 23 goals and ending as the second-highest scorer. But Balaram’s best contribution to East Bengal was arguably during his time as their captain.

In 1961, Balaram guided East Bengal to do a double over Mohun Bagan in the Calcutta Football League – which was as good as winning major trophies. He scored 23 goals and also won the league’s best player award, cementing himself into the club’s history books.

Balaram had his final stint as a footballer for the Bengal Nagpur Railway. He helped them win the IFA Shield in 1963 and the Rovers Cup in 1964 before stepping away from the beautiful game.