Mohun Bagan to have best administrator award on foundation day

Kolkata, July 27 (IANS) Mohun Bagan will include the category of a best administrator award in this year’s Mohun Bagan Day in memory of their former General Secretary Anjan Mitra, the club said in a statement.

Indian Football Association (IFA) Secretary Joydeep Mukherjee will be conferred the award for 2019-2020.

Former General Secretary Anjan Mitra died last year in November after being associated with the famous club as an administrator for three decades. He served for 23 years, before stepping down last year.

Mohun Bagan Day is celebrated every year on July 29 to commemorate their IFA Shield triumph in 1911 when they had won the tournament defeating East Yorkshire Regiment 2-1, thus becoming the first Indian club to end the British stranglehold.

The century old club’s footballing rights was recently acquired by the RP Sanjiv Goenka group which holds a majority stake of 80 per cent. The new entity is called ATK Mohun Bagan FC and will take part in the Indian Super League (ISL) from this season.

“With immense pleasure, we wish to inform that from this year onwards on Mohun Bagan Day, the Club Executive Committee has decided to include the category of Best Administrator Award in memory of Late Anjan Kumar Mitra.

“The Club Executive Committee on the proposal of Club President Swapan Sadhan Bose (Tutu) has unanimously decided to confer the Best Administrator award for 2019-2020 to Joydeep Mukherjee, Hony. Secretary, The IFA (WB) for his untiring efforts in reviving Kolkata Football,” the statement said.

Ashok Kumar, a key member of India’s 1975 World Cup-winning hockey team, will be conferred with the Lifetime Achievement Award on the occasion of its foundation day.

This year’s Mohun Bagan Ratna would be presented to Gurbux Singh and Palash Nandi, the club stated in the release.

The foundation day will be held in a virtual ceremony this time in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Awardees: Mohun Bagan Ratna: Gurbux Singh (Hockey) and Palash Nandi (Cricket); Lifetime Achievement: Ashok Kumar (Hockey), Pranab Ganguly (Football), Monoranjan Porel (Athletics); Best Footballer: Joseba Beitia (Senior); Best Youth Player: Sajal Bag (U18 team).

–IANS

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