Hockey stalwart Ashok Kumar to receive Mohun Bagan Lifetime Achievement Award

Ashok Kumar, a key member of India's 1975 World Cup-winning hockey team, will be conferred with Lifetime Achievement Award by city's iconic club Mohun Bagan on occasion of its foundation day in a virtual ceremony in wake of COVID-19 pandemic. "We will record presentation of award and also ir individual messs which would be shared on our social media platforms," Mohun Bagan general secretary Srinjoy Bose said in a statement. Son of hockey wizard Dhyan Chand, Kumar scored an important goal in gold medal match for India against Pakistan in 1975 World Cup in Kuala Lumpur.

Besides 1975 gold, 70-year-old Kumar h also won bronze (1971) and silver (1973) medals in World Cups, besides a bronze medal in 1972 Munich Olympics.   Kumar, who moved to Mohun Bagan in late 1960s and also represented Bengal before getting selected in Indian hockey team, also won three consecutive silver medals in Asian Games (1970, 1974 and 1978). Mohun Bagan Day is celebrated every year on July 29 to commemorate ir IFA Shield triumph in 1911 when y h won tournament defeating East Yorkshire Regiment 2-1, thus becoming first Indian club to end British stranglehold.

"But amid current circumstances, this year club executive committee has decided t to celebrate Mohun Bagan Day by organising a physical programme," Bose said.

" awards would be presented personally to those who are available in Kolkata. awardees who are unable to receive hour due to ir unavailability in city would be presented at a later st when things would be rmal."

club's footballing rights was recently acquired by RP Sanjiv Goenka group which holds a majority stake of 80 per cent. new entity is called ATK Mohun Bagan FC. "We have only sold football rights. company has owned football rights only and it has got thing to do with our club that is Mohun Bagan Athletic Club. So re's question of any name change in our awards," Mohun Bagan's finance secretary Debasish Dutta told PTI. This year's Mohun Bagan Ratna would be presented to Gurbux Singh and Palash Nandi, club stated in release.

Awardees

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

Im credits: Twitter / PTI