GA Basudeva: A celebrated goal keeper of 1950s
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Seram Neken

Imphal, February 03 2014: But for the royal patronage extended by Manipur Kings - Churachand and Bodhachandra, Manipur Sports would not be where it is today.

Basudeva was a known Hockey and Football Goalkeeper during the time of Maharaj Bodhachandra.

'ON THE GOLDEN FOOTPRINTS' reproduces here the sports profile of veteran player GA Basudeva from Ratneshwori Goswami's Akao Parei Chankhrabasing published in the Huieyen Lanpao (Manipuri) .

The erstwhile goal keeper (Hockey & Football) of Eastern Sporting Union, Guruaribam Basudeva Sharma was born in March 1930.He is the first son of Guruaribam Gosai Sharma and Komolini Devi of Brahmapur Guruaribam Leikai Imphal.

At the age of 15 years, he began to play various games particularly Hockey and Football.

In an interview, the veteran player narrated his sporting career in pre independence period.

By 1946, as there was no football team of ESU, he joined the football team of Kuki Sporting Union as goal keeper.

Some other members of the team, as he could remember were Ningthoujam Brajamani, Kamalakanta Sharma from Khongman, Gangte Poach and Ex-MLA Holkholal Thangjom.

In 1950, Basudeva participated in the first ever CC Meet football tournament under the Kuki Sporting Union which was defeated by Nagaland team by 1-0 goals.

Thereafter, he also fielded in the Tangkhul Sporting club as goal keeper.

By then, goal keepers were very rare in Manipur.

Dhiren, Jugindrokumar, Lalit and Basudeva were some known football goal keepers of the time.

Since 1948, Basudeva had been a Hockey player of Eastern Sporting Union.

As a player of Manipur Eleven, he also took part in the Beighton Cup held in Calcutta in 1950 .

The Hockey team led by S.Chao Singh comprised among others AK Manihar, Elangbam Ibohal, Kh Nimai, Chakri Tombi and Tomchoubi.

Basudeva participated in Beighton Cup again under the ESU team.

As they used to practice along with Assam Rifles team, the ESU Hockey players had the opportunity to improve themselves.

The team from the very beginning earned trophies at various competitions.

Also as an athlete interested in 100m, 200m and Hurdles, Basudeva could earn prizes in a number of competitions including Manipur Olympics.

As the aged player said, Churachand Maharaj had taken a great role in the sports movement in Manipur.

In the tournament sponsored by the royal family, the ESU team 'A' got the Churachand Maharaj running trophy for six times from 1950 onwards.

Churachand Maharaj who was also an ardent player of Sagol Kangjei, Lawn Tennis and Football nurtured the players under the aegis of Maharaj teams for various games.

Later, Maharaj Bodhachandra also patronized sports on the footprints of his father Churachand Singh.

Around 1952/53, there was a friendly Hockey exhibition match between Assam Rifles team and the ESU team.

Bodhachandra Maharaj who personally attended the match promised to handover the playground along with rupees 500, if the ESU team won the match.

When the ESU team won the match, the king gifted the present playground to the Eastern Sporting Union.

As per his accounts, some of the players during the exhibition match were Thangjam Modhu, Ngairangbam Mani, Karam Kunjo, Najmul from Khetrigao, Khuraijam Yumjao, Guneshore (Tomchoubi), Karam Madhav, Kunjabihari, W.Nilamani, B.Jiteshwar, Th.Suni, A Ibotombi, RK Amubisana, W.Chura, Sanajaoba Macha etc.

On one occasion, he stealthily rushed to play for the BSF team against the wishes of his father.

Initiated by AK Manihar, Basudeva had to set out for Dhergaon along with around five other players from Manipur.

According to Basudeva, the invitation actually came from father of Phalguni, Manisana who was then serving in the BSF.

While playing for the BSF, his father called him out from the BSF which he had to join before leaving home.

Again Basudeva was asked to participate in the All India Zonal Meet for which he hesitatingly left home.

After serving for a brief period in the BSF, he returned home only to join service in the Settlement department on 1st April 1960.Basudeva Sharma retired from service in February 1997 .

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