Pancha Pandavas

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Not to be confused with Pandava.


In Indian football, Pancha Pandavas refers to the East Bengal penta-forward-line consisting of Ahmed Khan, Appa Rao, P. Venkatesh, P.B.A. Saleh and K. P. Dhanraj, in the early 50s, who played for the club together from 1949 to 1953. The Pancha Pandavas were also nicknamed as the VADAS, a collective name formed using their initials.[1][2] During the Pandavas era at East Bengal, the club won 11 major trophies and also had success against foreign opponents,[3] and was adjudged as the best team in Asia by the English FA annual almanack in 1951-52.[4][5] The club also made their maiden trip to Europe during the era and the Pandavas were impressive against the European opponents, and even drew a match against 1952 Soviet Cup champions Torpedo Moscow.[6][3] The Penta-forward lineup scored more than 250 goals for the club during their spell together at the club with K. P. Dhanraj, the centre-forward, becoming the all-time top scorer for East Bengal, a record he held for four decades.[7]

History[edit]

The 2-3-5 formation
পঞ্চপাণ্ডবের সেরা কিন্তু আমেদ খানই।
(In English: Ahmed Khan was the best among the Pancha Pandavas)[8]

— চুনী গোস্বামী ( former Mohun Bagan captain Chuni Goswami.)

East Bengal vs China Olympic Team in action - photo from Jugantor newspaper 15 July 1948.

Mamidipalli Appa Rao, the most senior of them all who was from Madras, joined East Bengal in 1941 and played for a consecutive 15 seasons until 1955, the longest among the Pandavas.[8][1] Appa Rao was part of the East Bengal squad that had won their first-ever Calcutta Football League title in 1942 and the IFA Shield title in 1943.[9][10] The next was P.B.A. Saleh, who hailed from Kottayam Kerala and joined the club in 1945,[8] and helped the club win their first League and Shield double in his first season.[1] Pansanttom Venkatesh joined in 1948 while India national football team members Ahmed Khan and K. P. Dhanraj, who were part of the 1948 Olympics squad joined East Bengal in 1949, all from Mysore.[8][1] Together they played for five seasons and earned the nickname Pancha Pandavas from the East Bengal fanbase as they established one of the most successful eras for East Bengal club.[1]

The Pancha Pandavas were all forwards in the traditional 2-3-5 formation. Venkatesh and Saleh were the right and left outside-forwards respectively, Ahmed Khan, who is regarded as one of the greatest ever player to play for East Bengal,[8][11][12][13] was the left inside-forward while the senior Appa Rao was the right inside-forward and the prolific K. P. Dhanraj was the centre-forward of the team.[1][14]

In their very first season together in 1949, they helped the club win a famous treble of the Calcutta Football League, the IFA Shield and the Rovers Cup. East Bengal won the Calcutta League title with 45 points from 26 matches, scoring 77 goals.[15] The star-studded East Bengal lineup were on a scoring spree in the IFA Shield too as they defeated: EIR 2–0 in the first round, Delhi Raisina Sporting 4–0 in the second round, Silchar Town 6–0 in the quarter-finals and Maharana Club 8–0 in the semi-finals and arch-rivals Mohun Bagan 2–0 in the final, with Venkatesh and Ahmed Khan scoring the goals in the final, they scored a total of 22 goals in 5 matches as they lifted the IFA Shield trophy.[16] K.P. Dhanraj alone scored 10 goals including a hattrick within 5 minutes against Maharana Club in the semi-finals.[lower-alpha 1] In the Rovers Cup too, the scoring continued as they defeated: Maharashtra XI 3–0 in the first round, Tata Sports 2–0 in the second round, GIP Rail 4–1 in the semi-finals and EI Railways 3–0 in the final with Appa Rao, Venkatesh and Dhanraj scoring in the final as East Bengal lifted the Rovers Cup trophy.[18] The Pancha Pandavas led East Bengal team scored 111 goals in 35 matches in their very first season.[1]

The success continued in the following season as East Bengal won the Calcutta League with K. P. Dhanraj winning the top scorer award with 18 goals[15] and the IFA Shield by defeating Services XI 3–0 in the final.[16] The club also won the DCM trophy defeating 8th Gorkha Rifles 2–0 in the final with Venkatesh scoring both the goals.[19] In 1951, although the club failed to win the Calcutta League, the club completed a hattrick of IFA Shield wins as they defeated Mohun Bagan 2–0 in the final with P.B.A. Saleh scoring both the goals. The team also won their first Durand Cup title as they defeated Rajasthan Club 2–1 in the final with goals from Ahmed Khan and Venkatesh, and thus becoming the first Indian team to win the IFA Shield and Durand Cup in the same year.[16][20] The club also received international recognition after winning three back-to-back IFA Shield titles in 1951, as the English FA annual almanack in 1951-52 adjudged East Bengal as the best football team in Asia.[4][21][5] In 1952, the Pandavas led East Bengal to another three trophies, as they lifted the Calcutta League with 40 points from 26 matches with K. P. Dhanraj once again bagging the top scorer award with 10 goals. They also went on to win the Delhi-double, first successfully defending the Durand Cup title by defeating Hyderabad Police 1–0 in the final and then defeating 8th Gorkha Rifles 4–0 in the DCM Trophy final.[19]

In 1953, the last year of the Pancha Pandavas together at East Bengal, the Calcutta League was abandoned midway[15] and the club travelled to Bucharest to participate in the World Youth Festival where they finished fourth. Their performance at the tournament earned them an invitation from the Soviet Union, where they played a series of friendly exhibition matches, famously drawing 3–3 against Torpedo Moscow in Moscow, with two goals from Venkatesh and one from M. Thangaraj.[21][1] The team returned from Europe to participate in the IFA Shield and reached the final where they faced Indian Cultural League, however, after the first two days ending in a stalemate, on the third day East Bengal was scratched from the final after fielding two Pakistani players Masood Fakhri and Niaz Ahmed,[16][22] and the Indian Football Association suspended East Bengal club from all football activities until 31 December 1954.[23]

The club, however, fought a legal battle and revoked the suspension later,[24] but this marked the end of the Pancha Pandavas era at East Bengal club. In 1954, Venkatesh, Saleh and Dhanraj left the club while the other two stayed for a few more years until their retirement, first Appa Rao in 1955 and then Ahmed Khan in 1959.[1][25] During the Pancha Pandavas era, East Bengal club won a total of 11 major trophies which included three Calcutta Football League titles (1949, 1950, 1952), three back-to-back IFA Shield titles (1949, 1950, 1951), two Durand Cup titles (1951, 1952), one Rovers Cup (1949) and two DCM trophies (1950, 1952).[26][27]

Apart from domestic success, the Pancha Pandavas led East Bengal team enjoyed success against international opponents too. Post Independence of India, East Bengal's first match against a foreign opponent was on 14 July 1948, when they faced the China Olympic Team at the East Bengal-Mohun Bagan Ground. East Bengal defeated the Chinese Olympic team 2–0 with goals from Appa Rao and Saleh.[3][28] The Pandavas led East Bengal also won another friendly on 22 November 1951 in Calcutta, against Sweedish side FC Gothenburg, by 1–0 with Saleh scoring the only goal of the game.[3][28][1][4][21]

Europe Tour[edit]

Template:Detail

The Pancha Pandavas with the 1949 IFA Shield trophy.

In 1953, the East Bengal team toured Romania and Soviet Union, becoming the first Indian team to tour Europe.[21][1] The Calcutta Football League was abandoned midway due to riots in Kolkata and East Bengal management received an invitation to participate in the World Youth Congress to be held at Bucharest, Romania. The East Bengal team was led by captain Ahmed Khan and secretary J.C. Guha on their maiden voyage in Europe and in the first match of the tournament, they defeated the Austrian side Grazer SC 2–0 with both the goals scored by M Thangaraj. In their next game, they defeated Lebanon Club 6–1 with M Thangaraj scoring a hattrick while Ahmed Khan, Venkatesh and Masood Fakhri scoring the other three as East Bengal reached the semi-finals where they faced the hosts Romania. The team was defeated 4–0 in the semi-final and they lost again to Germany in the third-place play-offs to finish fourth in the tournament.[21][29]

The brilliant display at the World Youth Congress earned East Bengal club an invitation from the Soviet Union to play a series of friendlies against the top Soviet football teams.[6][30] East Bengal travelled directly from Bucharest to Moscow and on 21 August 1953, they played their first friendly exhibition game in front of a fully packed Central Dynamo Stadium against Torpedo Moscow. The game ended 3–3 as Venkatesh scored twice and M. Thangaraj scored the other for East Bengal as they managed a draw against the 1952 Soviet Cup champions.[31] However, the team was already fatigued due to the long tour and the players could not cope up with the extreme Russian climate and the tour took a toll on them as they lost the next three games: 9–1 against Dinamo Tbilisi at Tbilisi, 13–1 against Dynamo Kyiv at Keiv and 6–0 against Dynamo Moscow back in Moscow before the team travelled back to India.[21][1][29]

East Bengal in World Youth Congress
Date Opponent Score Scorers for East Bengal
6 August 1953 Austria Grazer SC
2–0
 M. Thangaraj (2)
9 August 1953 Lebanon Lebanon Club
6–0
 M. Thangaraj (3); Ahmed Khan; Venkatesh; Fakhri
12 August 1953 Romania Romania
0–4
—
15 August 1953 Germany Germany
2–5
 Masood Fakhri; M. Thangaraj
East Bengal in Soviet Union
Date Opponent Score Scorers for East Bengal
21 August 1953 Template:Country data USSR Torpedo Moscow
3–3
 Venkatesh (2); M. Thangaraj
28 August 1953 Template:Country data USSR Dinamo Tbilisi
1–9
 M. Thangaraj
6 September 1953 Template:Country data USSR Dynamo Kyiv
1–13
 Kittu
9 September 1953 Template:Country data USSR Dynamo Moscow
0–6
—

Statistics[edit]

The Penta-forward attacking lineup led East Bengal had scored 347 goals in five seasons between 1949 and 1953, out of which the five Pandavas scored 260 goals.[32][1] K. P. Dhanraj became just the second East Bengal player ever to score 100 goals for the club and surpassed A.C. Somana who had 102 goals to his name, to become the all-time top scorer for East Bengal with 127 goals.[33] K. P. Dhanraj held the record for almost four decades until overtaken by Chima Okorie in the 90s.[33] Venkatesh scored 80 goals for the club, leaving the club as the fourth all-time highest scorer. Ahmed Khan has 63 goals to his name, Appa Rao scored 61 goals while P.B.A. Saleh has 55.[7]

Pancha Pandavas for East Bengal
Name Goals
K. P. Dhanraj 127
P. Venkatesh 80
Ahmed Khan 63
Appa Rao 61
P.B.A. Saleh 55
Total 386

Notes[edit]

  1. ↑ 27 August 1949, East Bengal 8-0 Maharana Club, Semi Final 1949 IFA Shield, K. P. Dhanraj scored a hattrick inside the 5th minute of the match. He scored in the 1st, 2nd and 5th minute of the match.[17]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 Banerjee, Ritabrata (27 Mar 2020). "Who were the 'Pancha Pandavas' of East Bengal and what impact did they have in Indian football?". Goal. Archived from the original on 10 April 2020. Retrieved 2 Jul 2021.
  2. ↑ "Flame And Glory! East Bengal Football Club Celebrates A Glorious Century". Outlook India. Archived from the original on 8 November 2019. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 The World Sports Today (1 August 2020). "100 years of East Bengal: A timeline of Kolkata giant's key milestones". The World Sports Today. Archived from the original on 27 June 2021. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "The saga of East Bengal". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 2 July 2021. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "History - The AIFF". The AIFF. Archived from the original on 8 March 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Krishnan, Presheed Yadu (21 Feb 2021). "The barefooted Pandavas who made their footmark on Soviet soil!". Gully Sports. Archived from the original on 11 April 2021. Retrieved 2 Sep 2021.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Total goals scored by Pancha Pandava (VADAS)". East Bengal Club. Archived from the original on 17 July 2019. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 Goswami, Chuni (30 July 2019). "প্রতিপক্ষের চোখে: পঞ্চপাণ্ডবের সেরা কিন্তু আমেদ খানই" [In the eyes of the opponent: Ahmed Khan is the best of the Pandavas]. Anandabazar Patrika (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 2 Sep 2021. Retrieved 2 Sep 2021. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch (help)
  9. ↑ "TEAM ARCHIVES - East Bengal FC". Archived from the original on 9 June 2019. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  10. ↑ "TEAM ARCHIVES - East Bengal FC". Archived from the original on 8 November 2019. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  11. ↑ "Ahmed Khan – East Bengal's Best Forward of the Millennium". Mpositive.in. 30 Aug 2017. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 2 Sep 2021.
  12. ↑ Sen, Ashish (9 Sep 2017). "Remembering Ahmed Khan, a forgotten football icon". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 27 August 2021. Retrieved 27 Aug 2021.
  13. ↑ "East Bengal legend and Olympian Ahmed Khan dies at 91". Hindustan Times. 27 Aug 2017. Archived from the original on 13 January 2018. Retrieved 27 Aug 2021.
  14. ↑ "Football's snake-charmer fails to dribble past death". Orissa Post. 28 Aug 2017. Archived from the original on 1 September 2021. Retrieved 2 Sep 2021.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 "East Bengal - Performance in Calcutta Football League". East Bengal Club. Archived from the original on 27 Nov 2018. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 "India - List of IFA Shield Finals". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 31 October 2012. Retrieved 27 Aug 2021.
  17. ↑ "East Bengal's Cake-Walk Passage into I.F.A. Final, Maharana Club of Gauhati Trounced by 8 Clear Goals". Amrita Bazar Patrika. Kolkata. 28 August 1949.
  18. ↑ "India - List of Rovers Cup Finals". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 27 Aug 2021.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Morrison, Neil (16 Mar 2012). "1950 DCM Trophy". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 13 October 2018. Retrieved 27 Aug 2021.
  20. ↑ "India - List of Durand Cup Finals". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 29 July 2014. Retrieved 27 Aug 2021.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 21.4 21.5 "History - East Bengal Club". East Bengal Club. Archived from the original on 30 September 2019. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
  22. ↑ "I.C.L. and East Bengal Draw for the Third Time - Pak Players Included in Calcuta Side - Bombay Team Lodge Protest After Match". The Indian Express. 4 October 1953. Archived from the original on 5 July 2021. Retrieved 5 Jul 2021.
  23. ↑ "I.C.L. Awarded IFA Shield - Suspension of East Bengal recommended". The Indian Express. 12 October 1953. Archived from the original on 5 July 2021. Retrieved 5 Jul 2021.
  24. ↑ "E. BENGAL CLUB OBTAIN INTERIM INJUNCTION - Suspension By I.F.A. Taken Before Calcutta High Court". The Indian Express. 9 November 1953. Archived from the original on 5 July 2021. Retrieved 5 Jul 2021.
  25. ↑ Goswami, Chuni (28 Aug 2017). "'আমেদ খানের সেই ড্রিবল কিন্তু অমরই থাকবে'" ['Ahmed Khan's dribble will remain immortal']. Anandabazar Patrika (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 1 September 2021. Retrieved 2 Sep 2021.
  26. ↑ "East Bengal Club - Trophy Room". eastbengalclub.co.in. Archived from the original on 14 November 2018. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  27. ↑ Armband (31 May 2020). "Glorytales of Indian Football: East Bengal and The Pancha Pandava". Sports Nova. Archived from the original on 2 July 2021. Retrieved 2 Jul 2021.
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 Sportstar, Team (1 August 2020). "100 years of East Bengal: A timeline". Sportstar. Archived from the original on 29 June 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 "End of an era, Ahmed Khan passes away". Sportstar. Archived from the original on 27 August 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  30. ↑ "Masood Fakhri: Pakistan's Football Wizard Who Captivated Kolkata Maidan". NDTV. Archived from the original on 9 November 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  31. ↑ "Soviet Union Cup 1952". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 19 May 2021. Retrieved 28 Aug 2021.
  32. ↑ "LEGENDS OF INDIAN FOOTBALL : AHMED KHAN". The Hard Tackle. Archived from the original on 8 November 2019. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
  33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 Chakraborty, Sabyasachi (20 April 2020). "100 Years of Glory: All time top scorers for East Bengal FC!". BADGEB. Archived from the original on 23 October 2020. Retrieved 20 April 2020.

External links[edit]

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