Dr. Talimeren Ao, a Mohun Bagan Legend!

Do you remember Dr. Talimeren Ao?

Dr. T Ao is famously known as the first captain of Independent India's football team.

But, do you know, Dr Ao was a key figure of the Mohun Bagan team that time? 

Born in 1918 in Kohima, Nagaland, Talimeren Ao started his career at Maharana Club.

Maharana Club was one of the most successful club on Assam that time. Dr Ao joined Mohun Bagan from Maharana Club in 1943 following the footsteps of Sarat Das. Sarat Das served Mohun Bagan as captain for few years.

Dr Ao was a striker in the initial stages of his carrier, but in Mohun Bagan, he played as a defender.Gostha Paul was famously known as the 'Great wall of China', but do you know, when Dr. Ao was playing for Mohun Bagan,they had a 3 man defence, and the trio was known as the same.

Yes, Dr Ao, was deployed as a Centre-Half, and along with two backs (rn we call them side backs), the trio formed a formidable defence and were known as the 'Great Wall of China'.

Dr Ao was made the Mohun Bagan captain in 1948, he succeeded Sarat Das.

1948, the same year, Indian National Football Team was formed and Dr. Ao became the first Indian to lead the national side.

Dr. Ao was the captain for 2 seasons(1948,1949)

Under his captaincy, Mohun Bagan won the Cooch Behar Cup twice. He led Mohun Bagan to our 3rd IFA Shield.

Dr. T Ao played for Bengal team too, he won the Santosh Trophy playing for Bengal in 1945-46 season. Dr. Ao has won multiple trophy's in his Mohun Bagan career. But, the highlight should be winning the 2nd IFA Shield in Mohun Bagan's history after the famous triumph of 1911.

Dr. Ao as a player played in Mohun Bagan for 9 years (1943-52).

He won CFL thrice ( 43, 44, 51)

IFA Shield twice ( 47, 48*)

Coochbehar Cup twice (48*, 49*)

Trades Cup thrice (44,45,49*)

NB: * marks are indicated for the years when he was the captain.

1998, at the age of 80, Dr. Ao left us.

In 2002, Mohun Bagan awarded him the prestigious Mohun Bagan Ratna Award.

In 2020 when India played Oman in Guwahati, @BluePilgrims unveiled this Tifo of Dr. Ao.