Once famous for his moves on the football pitch, former India international and ITI defender, J Mohan Kumar, now keeps vigil at the gates of Mount Carmel College
J Mohan Kumar has gotten used to obscurity. He still has the bearing of one who was once famous, and takes great pride in his job as a security guard at Mount Carmel College, but he is no more than a man in a uniform, a fixture to those who pass in and out of the gates of that famous institution.
Mohan though has fond memories of his time in another ‘uniform’, a time when his name often rang through football stadiums and his face was instantly recognizable.
The former Indian Telephone Industries (ITI) deep defender looks back with a smile on the collective exploits of his team and his teammates with whom he ached, sweated and toiled. Those were good days even if he was merely a pawn in a flawed system, discarded and forgotten once his legs turned weak and his hair gray. Not that he would trade his playing career for anything in the world, mind you.
In a 30-year career as player and coach, Mohan stayed loyal to ITI. He won the first edition of the Federation Cup with ITI in 1977. He was also briefly the coach of the Garden City College football team, but left abruptly due to differences with his players and did odd jobs for a living. He eventually wound up manning the gates at MCC.
Mohan says the job is a boon and “better than doing nothing at home”. “One of my friends worked as a driver here,” Mohan told Mirror. “I asked him if there was a vacancy for me and he told me of the opening for a guard. He did ask me if it’s something I would do considering I am a footballer who has won many laurels. I told him it’s difficult if I do nothing. Here, I have to check for ID cards and ensure there is no trouble. Since this is a girls’ college, my job is to keep the women inside safe. I don’t look at it as something that is beyond my dignity. It’s still a job and I enjoy it.”
He also enjoyed his time in ITI colours, his days with the Indian team and as coach.
As a player, he reached the final of the Stafford Challenge Cup in 1980 where they lost 2-4 to Iraqi Youth Football Club. His football skills took him to Korea, Afghanistan and Malaysia — at a time when most people didn’t even have a passport. Memories like these sustain him during his vigil at the gates.
Life for his teammates in ITI is a struggle too, Mohan says, but he has accepted the roll of the dice. “There was Rajashekhar, Silambaranathan and Kanthraj who were good defenders,” he recollects.
“Immanuel was a striker in our team and Ayatullah Khan was another great player. Some of my teammates have passed away, while some are struggling with diabetes.
There are others who are doing okay too. I’ve tried to maintain myself physically and I’m doing quite well.”
Penury is a familiar foe. His story is typical of many other great players of his time. Born in Ambur, Tamil Nadu, he moved to Bengaluru after Class 11. His parents couldn’t afford to send him to college — he was one of 11 children — so he was drawn to football like iron fillings to a magnet.
He began playing with his friends at 515 Army Base Workshop (ABW). He was soon spotted by state officials who guided him to greener pastures in the early seventies. His time with ITI earned him a call up to the national team.
Playing against an Iraqi club in the Stafford Challenge Cup in 1980 counts as one of his best moments. After that, it went downhill for Mohan as he was rejected for the post of a coach. His health began to deteriorate too and he was soon out of work. “I became restless at home,” he said. “I just couldn’t sit doing nothing and living without earning a penny. I took up this job without hesitation as it would help me feed my family. Things are starting to look up again. I greet all people here with a smile.”
source: http://www.bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com / Bangalore Mirror / Home> Sports> Others / by Farheen Ayesha, Bangalore Mirror Bureau / May 23rd, 2017
