India post Released Postage Stamp in Memory of Dr Talimeren Ao, For a very long time, he has only been a quiz question – name the first captain of the Indian football team. Quiz geeks and football nerds ace the answer, remembering and pronouncing it differently. T Ao. Tay Ao. Dr Tay. Te Ao. From Nagaland.
The story of Dr Talimeren Ao, captain of Mohun Bagan and India, flag bearer of the Indian Olympic contingent at the 1948 London Games, and still perhaps the most famous Naga. A phantom figure who hovers over the football history of free India, his footprints have faded but the name is resonant and powerful in the collective memory of his people.
They stage two football tournaments in his name. In Assam, where Talimeren grew up, there are two sporting venues named after him – an indoor stadium in Cotton College, Guwahati, where he studied, and an outdoor venue in Kaliabor, east of the Kaziranga National Park. At a time when the ISL, India’s high-profile football league, has a team called North East United near the top of the points table, it’s worth re-telling the story of the region’s first footballing hero.
Paying his rich tributes to this legendary footballer on the centenary celebrations of his birth day, Governor Prof Mukhi said, “Dr T. Ao was the man behind promoting and popularizing football in India and more particularly in Assam.” He also said that besides being a footballer, T. Ao was a doctor by profession who worked as an Assistant Civil Surgeon. Taking a bow of reverence, Prof Mukhi termed Dr T. Ao as an extraordinary personality in whom the Almighty has intertwined a talented footballer and a genius physician.
He also congratulated SAI for having organized the birth centenary celebrations in the honour of Dr T. Ao. At the same time, the Governor also reiterated his government’s commitment in transforming Guwahati into a sports capital of the country. He also hailed the state government’s efforts in organizing international sporting events successfully in Guwahati and called upon the younger generation to emulate the sports talents like Dr T. Ao and bloom their sports acumen inherent in them by using the sports infrastructural facilities available in the state.
MLA Shiladitya Deb, Chief Post Master General Arundhuti Ghose, former footballer Gilbertson Sangma, athlete Toybun Nessa, Director Information and Public Relations Rajib Prakash Baruah and a host of other dignitaries were present on the occasion.
