Sports of West Bengal - 3 | WBCS Preparation: All Subjects - WBCS (West Bengal) PDF Download

Famous Sports Personalities of West Bengal

• Gostha Pal
  Born on August 20, 1896, in Faridpore, Bangladesh, Gostha Pal relocated to Kolkata post-partition. Nicknamed 'Chiner Pracheer' (The Wall of China) for his defensive prowess, he was the inaugural Indian footballer to receive the Padma Shri in 1962, passing away on April 8, 1976.
• Sailen Manna
  Hailing from Howrah district and born on September 1, 1924, Sailen Manna was the sole Asian footballer to be named among the top ten captains globally by the English FA in 1953. Honored with the 'Footballer of the Millennium' by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) in 2000, Manna passed away on February 27, 2012.
• Mihir Sen
  Born on November 16, 1930, in Purulia district, Mihir Sen, a renowned long-distance swimmer, achieved fame as the first Indian to swim across the English Channel in 1958. In 1966, he set a unique record by swimming the oceans of five continents in a single calendar year. Awarded the Padma Shri in 1959 and Padma Bhushan in 1967, he passed away on June 11, 1997.
• Subimal Goswami
  Nicknamed Chuni Goswami, Subimal Goswami was born on January 15, 1938, in Kishoreganj district. A distinguished figure in both Indian football and first-class cricket, he played for Bengal in the Ranji Trophy and was a key member of the Mohun Bagan team. Honored with the Arjuna Award in 1963 and Padma Shri in 1983, he also received the Mohun Bagan Ratna in 2005.
• Arati Saha
  Born on September 24, 1940, in Kolkata, Arati Saha, a long-distance swimmer, was inspired by Mihir Sen to cross the English Channel in 1959. She became the first Indian female sportsperson to receive the Padma Shri in 1960 and passed away on August 23, 1994.
• Dibyendu Barua
  Born on October 27, 1966, in Kolkata, Dibyendu Barua is the second Indian Chess Grandmaster after Vishwanathan Anand. Becoming the youngest participant in the Indian National Championship of Chess at the age of 12 in 1978, he was awarded the Arjuna Award in 1983.
• Bula Choudhury
  Born on January 2, 1970, in Hoogli district, Bula Choudhury is a prominent long-distance swimmer. She became the first woman to cross the seven seas and twice crossed the English Channel in 1989 and 1999. She received the Arjuna Award in 1990 and the Padma Shri in 2009.
  
• Sourav Ganguly
  He was born on 8th July, 1972 in Kolkata. His full name is Sourav Chandidas Gangopadhyay. He is affectionately known as Dada. He is a former Indian cricketer and the captain of the Indian national team. He is regarded as one of the most successful captains in modern times of the Indian cricket team.  
  He was the captain of the Indian team from 2000 to 2005. In February, 2008, Ganguly joined Kolkata Knight Riders team as a captain, as a part of Indian Premier League (IPL).He started his career by playing in state and school teams.
  He is the only cricketer to win four consecutive man of the match awards in One Day Internationals (ODIs). He was awarded with the Banga Bibhushan Award from the Government of West Bengal on 20th May, 2013. He is the President of Cricket Association of West Bengal and President of the Editorial Board of Wisden India.
  
• Arjun Atwal
  Born on March 20, 1973, in Asansol, West Bengal, Arjun Atwal is the first Indian-born golfer to win the US-based PGA Tour. Leading the Asian Tour in 2003 and excelling in major championships, he was honored with the Arjuna Award in 2007.
• Pradeep Kumar Banerjee
  Born on June 23, 1936, in Jalpaiguri, Pradeep Kumar Banerjee was a distinguished footballer and coach. Recognized as the footballer of the 20th Century by FIFA, he received the FIFA Order of Merit in 2004 and was the first recipient of the Arjuna Award in 1961.
• Jyotirmoyee Sikdar
  Born on December 11, 1969, in Nadia district, Jyotirmoyee Sikdar was a middle-distance runner who achieved success in the Asian Athletics Championship and Asian Games. Honored with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in 1998-99 and the Padma Shri in 2003, she excelled in 800m and 1500m events.
• Leander Paes
  Born on June 17, 1973, in Kolkata, Leander Paes is a celebrated figure in Indian tennis, having won numerous Grand Slam titles in both men's and mixed doubles. The oldest man to win a Grand Slam title, Paes achieved a career Grand Slam in men's doubles and mixed doubles.
  
• Surya Shekhar Ganguly
  Born on February 24, 1983, in Kolkata, Surya Shekhar Ganguly is an Indian Chess Grandmaster, Asian Champion, and six-time Indian Champion. Attaining the title of Grandmaster at the age of 19, he received the Arjuna Award in 2005.
• Mohammed Ali Qamar
  Born in 1980 in Kidderpore, Kolkata, Mohammed Ali Qamar made history as the first Indian to win a gold medal in boxing at the Commonwealth Games in 2002. Awarded the Arjuna Award in 2002, he contributed significantly to Indian boxing.