Legend Talimeren Ao
Dr Talimren Ao, the first captain of the Indian football team, had the image of an athlete since childhood. His father was the first president of Nagaland.
But Talim was very young when his father died of typhoid.
His father's last wish was that Talim should become a doctor and work for the Naga community.
In 1933, Talim was sent to Jorhat school where he played proper football for the first time and all the students and teachers there watched his game and skill very closely.
Then he took admission in Cotton College, Guwahati where he started playing as a striker. He joined the biggest club of that time, Maharana Club. There his position changed from striker to defender and due to this he displayed commendable sportsmanship and leadership.
Talim was doing very well in football but he did not forget his father's last wish, so in 1942 he took admission in Carmichael Medical College, Kolkata. In 1943, he joined Mohan Bagan, one of the oldest clubs in India and after that he played his entire career with Mohan Bagan.
From 1943 to 1952, he won two IFA Shield, 3 Calcutta League and many other titles with Mohan Bagan.
When India got independence in 1947 and when the Indian football team was selected for the London Olympics, the time came to select the captain of the team, in which Talimeren became the first captain of the Indian football team.
He was selected as the flag bearer of India in the 1948 Olympics and he proudly raised the Indian flag in the opening ceremony.
In this match, France won the match 2 - 1 by scoring a goal in 90 minutes. Later in the interview after the match, he was asked why his team plays without shoes.
So he replied that we play football in India and you people play bootball.
Talim's comment made headlines in the British media and many newspapers in London.
We had lost the Olympics but our team's performance won the hearts of many people there. King George V1 and the Queen invited the Indian team to dinner at Buckingham Palace. After the Olympics, Talim led the Indian football team in many exhibition matches in England, Netherlands, Wales and Ireland. The highlight of this tour was the famous 5-2 win over the Dutch giants.
If Talim wanted, he could have gone further in his football career but he had to fulfill the promise given to his father, so Talim rejected Arsenal's offer.
In 1950, Talimeren completed his MBBS degree and became the first Naga to fulfill his father's dream by becoming a doctor.
In 1952, Talim retired from football.
Dr. Talimeren Ao
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