Kolkata: Kalighat Sports Lovers Association will organise a day and night football tournament on September 1 to commemorate the 98th birth anniversary of former Indian soccer captain Sailen Manna. The five-a-side event will be held at the Avenue Sammilani Ground adjacent to the Rabindra Sarovar Stadium.
State urban development minister Chandrima Bhattacharya is slated to inaugurate the tournament while sports and youth affairs minister Aroop Biswas and his deputy and former Bengal Ranji captain Manoj Tiwari will grace the prize distribution and closing ceremonies.
The organisers will also felicitate several eminent personalities from sports and other areas on the occasion.
Manna, feted with Padma Shri, led the country to a Gold medal triumph at the 1951 Asian Games. He also captained Mohun Bagan from 1950-1955. The All India Football Federation (AIFF) named him the Best footballer of the Millennium in 2000 while the next year, he was honoured with the Mohun Bagan Ratna title.
