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Mohun Bagan Athletic Club
Mohun Bagan A.C. logo.svg
Full name Mohun Bagan Athletic Club
Nickname The Mariners
Short name MBAC
Founded 15 August 1889; 135 years ago (1889-08-15) (as Mohun Bagan Sporting Club)
Colors      Green
     Maroon

President: Debasish Dutta

General Secretary: Srinjoy Bose

Mohun Bagan Athletic Club is a famous sports club from Kolkata, West Bengal, India. It started way back in 1889, making it one of the oldest sports clubs in all of Asia. The club has many different sports teams. These include football, cricket, hockey, tennis, athletics, and even eSports.

Club History: How it Started

Bhupendranath Bose
Bhupendra Nath Bose, Mohun Bagan's first president

The story of Mohun Bagan began in the 1880s. Young people in the Shyambazar area of Kolkata wanted to create a football club. They found a beautiful building called Mohun Bagan Villa. This palace belonged to a rich family.

On August 15, 1889, three important Bengali families met. They decided to form the Mohun Bagan Sporting Club. Bhupendra Nath Bose became the club's first president. Jyotindra Nath Basu was the first secretary.

In the beginning, the club used a small ground at the palace for games. Their very first match was against students from Eden Hindu Hostel. Mohun Bagan lost that game 1–0. The club wanted many young people to join. They also made sure members followed strict rules. The goal was to create great sportsmen with strong values.

Renaming the Club

At the club's first birthday party, a professor named F. J. Rowe attended. He suggested changing the club's name. He thought "Sporting" was not quite right. He said the club did not do sports like fishing or shooting. So, the members agreed to change the name. They renamed it Mohun Bagan Athletic Club.

The club's second anniversary was led by Sir Thomas Holland. He later became an important government official in India. In 1891, the club moved its ground. This happened with help from Maharaja Durga Charan Laha. The ground moved again to Shyam Square. This time, the chairman of Kolkata Municipal Corporation helped. In 1900, Mohun Bagan teamed up with Presidency College. They shared a ground at Maidan for 15 years.

Big Rivalries

Mohun Bagan has a strong rivalry with East Bengal. This is mostly about their football teams. Their matches are called the Kolkata Derby, or 'Boro Match' (Big Match). Cricket and hockey games between them are also very exciting. These games often draw large crowds and can be very intense. Mohun Bagan also has a rivalry with Mohammedan. Their football matches are known as the 'Mini Derby'.

How the Club is Organized

Chuni Goswami Gate of Mohun Bagan Athletic Club in right, and Gate of the Calcutta Football Club (CFC) of CC&FC, in Kolkata Maidan, West Bengal, India, photo taken on December 31, 2023
The new Chuni Goswami Gate at Mohun Bagan AC, built in December 2023.

Mohun Bagan is set up as a society. This means you cannot buy shares in the club. Instead, people become members. These members form the Mohun Bagan Society. They vote in elections for different club roles. The club follows its own set of rules, called its "constitution". Changes to these rules are made at yearly meetings.

Sports Teams and Departments

Mohun Bagan is a multi-sport club. It has several different teams for various sports.

Football Team

The Mohun Bagan football team is the most famous part of the club. It was the first team when the club started in 1889. The team plays its home games at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan. They also play at the Mohun Bagan Ground. They compete in the Indian Super League. This is the top football league in India.

The team is very famous for winning the 1911 IFA Shield final. They beat a British team called the East Yorkshire Regiment. This made them the most successful team in India. In 2019, the team joined the "Club of Pioneers". This is a group of the oldest football clubs in the world.

Cricket Team

The Mohun Bagan cricket team plays in many tournaments. These are organized by the Cricket Association of Bengal. They play at Eden Gardens and Jadavpur University Campus Ground. The team has won over 100 major state-level trophies. Many famous players have played for the club. These include Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, and MS Dhoni. Even Sri Lankan player Chaminda Vaas has played for them.

Hockey Team

The Mohun Bagan hockey team plays in various tournaments. These are run by Hockey Bengal. They play their home games at the SAI Sports Complex. They also play at the Mohun Bagan Ground. The club plays in the Calcutta Hockey League and the Beighton Cup. The team has won 41 major state titles. This includes 25 CHL and 14 Beighton Cup titles.

Athletics Team

Mohun Bagan also has an athletics team. This team is part of the West Bengal Athletic Association. They compete in many tournaments across West Bengal. The club also holds yearly athletics events at its own ground.

eSports Team

Mohun Bagan also joined the first season of e-ISL. In this league, teams from the Indian Super League played the video game FIFA 22.

Club Awards and Celebrations

Since 2001, July 29 is a special day for the club. It is called Mohun Bagan Day. This day celebrates the club's big win in the 1911 IFA Shield Final. On this day, the club gives out awards and has celebrations. The Mohun Bagan Ratna is a special award. It is given each year to amazing former players. It does not matter what sport they played. The first person to receive this award was footballer Sailen Manna. Other awards are also given out. These often include awards for the best footballer and cricketer of the season.

Club Honors

  • Banga Bibhushan: 2022 (This is the highest award for civilians in West Bengal. It is given by the Government of West Bengal.)

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Mohun Bagan AC para niños

  • Mohun Bagan Super Giant
  • Mohun Bagan AC (cricket)
  • Mohun Bagan AC (field hockey)
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