Sailen Manna
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Sailendranath Manna | ||
| Date of birth | 1 September 1924 | ||
| Place of birth | Howrah, Bengal, British India | ||
| Date of death | 27 February 2012 (aged 87) | ||
| Place of death | Kolkata, West Bengal, India | ||
| Playing position | Defender | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1940–1942 | Howrah Union | ||
| 1942–1960 | Mohun Bagan | ||
| National team | |||
| 1948–1956 | India | 14 | |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
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Sailendra Nath Manna (1 September 1924 – 27 February 2012), known popularly as Sailen Manna, was an Indian International Footballer and is considered to be one of the best defenders India has ever produced. He has represented and captained India in different international competitions including Olympics and Asian Games. He also has a record of playing for Mohun Bagan, one of the best clubs in India, for a continuous period of 19 years. He is the only Asian Footballer ever to be named among the 10 best Captains in the world by the English FA in 1953.
He graduated from the Surendranath College, an affiliated college of the University of Calcutta. He worked for the Geological Survey of India.
Manna started his playing career for Howrah Union, then a club in the 2nd Division Kolkata Football League, in 1940. After turning out for the club for a couple of seasons, he joined Mohun Bagan in 1942 and continued playing for the club for a period of 19 years, till his retirement in 1960. During this period, he was the Captain of Mohun Bagan from 1950 to 1955. It is to be noted that during his 19 years career in Mohun Bagan, he reportedly earned only Rs.19 (roughly USD 0.5 based on existing exchange rates). As a defender, he was known for his anticipation, covering and a strong free kick.
Sailen Manna was a part of the Indian Football Team for the 1948 London Olympics, where Indian lost to France by a margin of 1-2. Under Manna's captaincy, India won the Gold Medal in the 1951 Asian Games and also won the Quandrangular Tournament for four consecutive years from 1952 to 1956. In 1953, the England Football Association rated him among the 10 best skippers of the world in its yearbook. Manna was also the captain of the Indian team in 1952 Olympics and a member of the 1954 Asian Games.
After being unwell for quite some time, Manna died at a private hospital in Kolkata on Monday, 27 February 2012. He was 87 years old and was survived by his wife and daughter.
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