Former East Bengal player Kalia Kulothungan passes away

What's the story?

Former East Bengal player and Tamil Nadu state captain Kalia Kulothungan passed away in a road accident in his village. The midfielder last played for Kolkata-based side Bhawanipore FC.

In case you didn't know...

Born in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, the midfielder had a long and successful career. Kulothungan started his career with Kolkata side East Bengal, for whom he played for three years. The midfielder then switched his allegiance to East Bengal's city rivals Mohammedan Sporting.

After two years at Mohammedan, Kulothungan went on to play for Mumbai FC, before returning to Kolkata to play for Mohun Bagan.

The midfielder played for Bagan for a year, before transferring to Viva Kerala, and ultimately Bhawanipore FC.

The heart of the matter

In a heartbreaking news, Kalia Kulonthungan passed away in a road accident in his village. He had an illustrious career, which included several titles as well. Tributes for Kulonthungan poured on social media, with former club Mohammedan amongst those paying their respects.

We at Mohammedan Sporting Club deeply saddened to hear about the untimely demise of former midfielder Kalia Kulothungan. Remembering his wonderful and gentle soul will forever remain in our hearts. May he rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/ORzrrZvOYC

— Mohammedan SC (@MDSCOfficial) July 28, 2018

Western India Football Association CEO Henry Menezes also took to Twitter to pay his respects to the former-East Bengal midfielder.

Shocked to hear that Kalia Kulothungan the talented footballer from #Tamilnadu played for @eastbengalfc #MahindraUnited died in a road accident. Let us pray that the almighty gives strength to his family to bear this big loss 🙏🙏🙏 pic.twitter.com/3IMr2IoRmT

— Henry Menezes (@menezeshenry) July 28, 2018

The midfielder was a part of an East Bengal side which won back-to-back I-League titles and won the ASEAN Cup as well. Under the tutelage of Subhash Bhowmick, Kulothungan was an indispensable member of the East Bengal squad that came to be feared by the rest of the Indian football sides.

Our tribute

Kalia Kulothungan will certainly remain in the hearts of all Indian football enthusiasts and was a joy to watch. During his playing time, the Tamil Nadu state captain earned the respect of fans as well as his peers. Kulothungan was always there for the team when needed, helping East Bengal win back-to-back titles. A brilliant player in his prime, Kulothungan was an inspiration to the youngsters as well.

May he rest in peace.