Simon Sundararaj’s most memorable moment in life is a
paradox. What perhaps is the proudest moment of his life – scoring a
goal for India against Peru in the 1960 Rome Olympics-- it is both a
hark back to Indian football’s pinnacle of glory and a reminder of the
nation’s failure to distinguish itself in world’s favourite sport.
Olympian
Simon Sundararaj is a forgotten hero but he would be remembered as the
last Indian who scored a goal at the Olympics and the man who coached
Kerala team to its first ever Santosh Trophy victory. Though much water
has flown under the bridge – half a century later India is yet to
qualify for the Olympics.
Hailing from Thanjavur,
Simon was the first to represent Tamil Nadu in national team. The
footballer pursued his passion in what can be dubbed as Indian
football’s golden era and rubbed shoulders with Indian football giants.
“I
am proud that I played for India. . Making it to the Olympics was an
achievement in itself,” says Simon with a visible glint of pride. “But
truth is we have gained nothing.”
Simon did not
expect a hero’s welcome. Neither did he expect any ‘reward’ from South
Indian Railways, the team he represented at the national level. It came
in the form of loss of pay for the four months Simon spent in
preparatory camps and at the Games.
“All we got was
coca-cola. No promotion, recognition, awards, nothing. We did not play
for money, but neither did we have the incentive to play on,” says the
footballer who worked as a railway guard for six years.
“How
do you expect sports to flourish when sportspersons are not recognized
or encouraged?” he asks, reminding of the pathetic conditions in which
fellow Olympian Yusuf Khan succumbed for want of care and aid.
The tale of an unsung hero - The Hindu