Legendary footballer Tulsidas Balram passed away at the age of 87

India’s Asian Games gold medalist footballer and Olympian Tulsidas Balaram passed away in Kolkata on Thursday after prolonged illness. Sources close to his family gave this information. Balram was 87 years old and a widower living in a flat on the banks of the Hooghly river in Uttarpara. The 1962 Asiad champion was admitted to the hospital on December 26 last year and was being treated for urinary infection and abdominal swelling.

“There was no improvement in his condition and he breathed his last around 2 pm today,” a source close to the family told PTI.

“We are thankful to the state government and Sports Minister Arup Biswas for taking care of him during his last days,” he added.

Balaram belonged to the golden generation of Indian football in the 1950s and 60s, where he paired up with legends like Chuni Goswami and PK Banerjee and came to be known as the ‘Holy Trinity’.

The exploits of Balarama, winner of the Arjuna Award at the 1960 Rome Olympics, are well documented.

Placed in the ‘Group of Death’ along with Hungary, France and Peru, India lost the opener 1-2 to Hungary but Balram covered himself with glory by scoring in the 79th minute.

India came close to upsetting France a few days later when Balaram again showed his class.

Balaram, who played mostly as a centre-forward or left-winger, called it a day in 1963 due to ill health.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and was auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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