Vishweshwar Rao was one among hundreds of footballers playing at the Calcutta (now Kolkata) Maidan in the 1930s. No one really missed his s...
Vishweshwar Rao was one among hundreds of footballers playing at the Calcutta (now Kolkata) Maidan in the 1930s. No one really missed his soccer skills when he stopped playing for Sporting Union to return to his native place somewhere in the Madras Presidency.
Yet, Rao will always be remembered in the history of East Bengal for the services he rendered at the fag end of his career in 1944. When East Bengal clashed for the first time in an IFA Shield encounter against Mohun Bagan, Rao emerged the unlikely hero by netting the all-important goal.
It turned out to be a fascinating tale in the end. In the 1944-45 season, East Bengal were a struggling side. Most of their regulars had either left the club or were injured. In the same season, Rao was transferred to Kolkata by his employers. He knew a few East Bengal officials well and requested them to allow him to play for the club’s Second Eleven in smaller tournaments.
His request was granted, but when the IFA Shield started, the club was forced to include Rao in the squad as the they were struggling to raise a decent forwardline in the traditional 2-3-5 system. City newspapers reported that a complete sell-out...
