Balaidas Chatterjee

Balaidas Chatterjee (; 10 March 1900 – 1974) was an Indian footballer and football manager, who played predominantly as defender. He became the first head coach of the India national team and guided them at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London. During his playing days, Chatterjee played for Mohun Bagan in various domestic competitions.

On 29 July 2013, it was announced that Chatterjee would receive the Mohun Bagan Ratna posthumously for his achievements while at the club.

Playing career Chatterjee was brought up and coached by legendary Dukhiram Majumder, founder of Aryans. He joined then Calcutta Football League side Mohun Bagan in 1921 and was part of the "golden era" of the club during British rule in India. Being a multi-sports personality, he was a tough guy on field, known for giving a "fitting reply" to the Europeans during matches. but went down 4–1 to a technically superior team 2nd Battalion of Durham Light Infantry. They later defeated Calcutta' FC (the oldest football club in India with having Europeans in squad) for the first time in the return leg of Calcutta Football League.

Chatterjee played for the club successfully as center half in 2–3–5 formation throughout his career. Syed Abdus Samad, Umapati Kumar, Sanmatha Dutta, Bimal Mukherjee, and Satu Chowdhury. After leaving Mohun Bagan, he appeared with Aryan, one of the oldest clubs in the city. Under his leadership, youth department of Mohun Bagan was set up in 1944.

India: 1948 Summer Olympics After gaining independence from Great Britain in 1947, India sent a football team to the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, England. Chatterjee became head coach of India and he had prepared the team that defeated Department Store XI 15–0 on 13 July, and Metropolitan Police F.C. 3–1 on 16 July. As part of preparation, they toured to Europe and went on to defeat English teams, Pinner F.C. 9–1 on 24 July, Hayes F.C. 4–1 on 26 July, and Alexandra Park FC 8–2 on 28 July.

In the main tournament, their first match was against Burma, but the game was a walkover. India played their one and only match of the tournament against France, in which Chatterjee was the head coach of the Indian side. India lost the match 2–1 through goals from René Courbin and René Persillon, with the Indian goal coming from Sarangapani Raman. His team was having some legendary footballers of the country, captain Talimeren Ao, Sailen Manna, Sheoo Mewalal, Mahabir Prasad, and Ahmed Khan. After the tournament, Indian footballers' bravery and brilliance in bare feet, earned them admiration of Princess Margaret, younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II.

India later went on to play few friendly matches in their Nederlands tour, where they went down to Sparta Rotterdam, but managed to win 5–1 against Ajax Amsterdam.

India: 1953–54 Chatterjee again took charge of India in 1953 and managed the team in Asian Quadrangular Football Tournament in Rangoon. India won title as few new faces like Amal Dutta, Anthony Patrick, and Chandan Singh Rawat. got the opportunity to play.

Mohun Bagan He was associated with Mohun Bagan in the 1950s and 60s, and mentored some of India's notable footballers, predominantly Chuni Goswami, and Kajal Mukherjee. When Arun Sinha became coach, Chatterjee became team manager of the club. In the 1960s, the club won Calcutta Football League, IFA Shield and Durand Cup multiple times. He was in the team management of Mohun Bagan, and was part of Jarnail Singh led team that toured to East Africa and played matches in Uganda, Kenya, Zanzibar and Tanganyika.

Bengal: Santosh Trophy Chatterjee became coach of Bengal football team in 1949. With Bengal, he won six Santosh Trophies between 1949 and 1959, Sheoo Mewalal, P. K. Banerjee.

Honours Player Mohun Bagan Rovers Cup runner-up: 1923 IFA Shield runner-up: 1923

Manager India Asian Quadrangular Football Tournament: 1953

Bengal Santosh Trophy: 1949–50, 1950-51, 1951–52, 1953-54, 1955–56, 1958-59, 1959-60

Individual Mohun Bagan Ratna: 2013