CM inaugurates floodlights at East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting Club grounds

Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday inaugurated floodlights at East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting Club grounds. The renovated spectators' gallery at Aryan Club was also inaugurated. Banerjee opened the three projects by pressing the remote button at the administrative review meeting held at Pailan in south 24-Parganas on Monday afternoon.

The first club at Maidan to have floodlight arrangement was Mohunbagan Club where the lights were installed in 1977, shortly after the Left Front government came to power in Bengal. Jatin Chakraborty popularly known as Jackie, the then PWD minister who was a staunch supporter was instrumental in installing floodlights at the India's national Club. The flood lights became dysfunctional and was repaired and installed on February 25, 2016. Mohun Bagan has played an important role in the struggle of Independence against the British. Bagan defeated EasternYorks, an army team to lift the IFA Shield Trophy for the first time by an Indian team in 1911.

East Bengal Club and Mohammedan Sporting Club also played a major role in local league and shield. Many great players from other states came to play in Bengal. East Bengal had great players like Venkatesh, Appa Rao, Ahmed Khan, Dhanraj among others. Peter Thangaraj came and played as a goalkeeper in East Bengal. The club became the champion in local football league five consecutive times between 1972-77. The club also lifted four trophies in one year. Apart from local league, it won the IFA Shield, Rovers Cup and Durand Cup. Like east Bengal, Mohammedan Sporting also a seat of players from other states like Naimuddin, Mohammad Habib and his brother Akbar.