The 1962 Asiad champion was admitted to the hospital on December 26, last year, for treatment of a urinary infection and abdominal distension.
His condition did not improve, and he breathed his last around 2 p.m. today, according to a family member. We are grateful to the state government and sports minister Aroop Biswas for providing him with excellent care in his final days, he said.
Balaram belonged to the golden generation of Indian football in the 1950s and 60s where he paired with legends such as Chuni Goswami and PK Banerjee, and they came to be known as ‘holy trinity’.
Balaram’s exploits as an Arjuna awardee at the 1960 Olympics in Rome are well known. India lost the first game 1-2 to Hungary, but Balaram saved the day with a 79th-minute goal.
A few days later, India came perilously close to upsetting France, with Balaram demonstrating his class once more. Balaram, who mostly played as a center-forward or left-winger, retired in 1963 due to ill health.
