Ex-India defender Subrata Bhattacharya to be given Mohun Bagan Ratna

Former India defender Subrata Bhattacharya will get the 'Mohun Bagan Ratna' for this year, the club announced on Friday.

The award is the club's highest honour.

It was also announced that striker Balwant Singh will bag the best footballer of the year. The awardees will be honoured on the club's foundation day on July 29.

Debabrata Das will get the best cricketer prize, while Indian women's cricket team fast bowler Jhulan Goswami, middle-distance runner Lili Das and Mount Everest conqueror Shaikh Sahabuddin will be given special awards.

Bhattacharya, who has coached East Bengal and Prayag United besides Mohun Bagan, was hired as city-based outfit Bhowanipore FC coach almost a month ago.

A tough defender during his time, the Arjuna award winner was part of India's 1984 Asian Cup campaign.

Bhattacharya was captain of Mohun Bagan's 'Class of 1977' when the Mariners won a treble - Durand Cup, Rovers Cup and the IFA Shield - and also played against a New York Cosmos team that had Pele in it. The match ended in a 2 2 draw.

Bhattacharya will be the 17th recipient of the award, which was instituted in 2001, with late Sailen Manna being the first recipient.

--IANS

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