The All India Football Federation (AIFF) celebrated the Golden Jubilee of the Indian football team’s historic triumph in the 1974 AFC Youth Championship with a grand felicitation ceremony in New Delhi. The event honored the members of the victorious squad that shared the title with Iran after a thrilling 2-2 draw in the final, even after extra time.
This remarkable achievement marked the last significant international triumph for Indian football, following the bronze medal won by the senior team at the 1970 Asian Games in Bangkok. AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey presented mementos to six members of the squad who were present at the ceremony: captain Shabbir Ali, C.C. Jacob, Dilip Palit, Shishir Guha Dastidar, Ranjit (Gobinda Das), and S.P. Kumar.
Coach Arun Ghosh, who guided the team to victory, was unable to attend due to health reasons. His son-in-law, former National table tennis champion Nupur Santra, received the memento on his behalf.
Chaubey expressed his admiration for the team’s accomplishments, acknowledging that they had achieved something truly special. However, he also lamented the lack of international exposure for Indian football in the decades that followed.
“For almost five decades after India’s independence, we never focused on utilizing the international friendly windows, the FIFA World Cup, or even to collaborate with the world of football,” Chaubey said. “We chose not to look beyond the Olympics and the Asian Games at that time. That seems to have cost us important international exposure.”
Chaubey emphasized the need to bridge the gap with other footballing nations, acknowledging that India had lost valuable time in developing its international presence.
The felicitation ceremony served as a reminder of the golden era of Indian football and the potential that the country holds in the sport. It also highlighted the importance of investing in international exposure and collaboration to foster the growth and development of Indian football on the global stage.
