#4 Mariappa Kempaiah
Kempaiah Da was born in Bengaluru on 4 March 1932. His defining quality in the Indian side was his impeccable fitness and unmatched stamina. While originally choosing boxing as his preferred sport, Kempaiah Da chose to enter football as a career.
Aiding this decision was his long-distance running capabilities, which had built up his stamina. Starting his career from the Bangalore Muslims, Kempaiah gradually rose to prominence within the Indian footballing sphere owing to his versatility on the field. He could play both in the centre and as a wing-half, which is a trait that was uncommon then and is even rarer now in the current era of specialist players.
In his long playing career, Kempaiah featured for both the arch-rivals East Bengal and Mohun Bagan, while representing the national team in all major tournaments since his debut vs Sri Lanka in 1955. He was a mainstay in India’s most successful national team of all time, finishing fourth in the 1956 Olympics and the 1958 Asian Games while finishing second in the Merdeka Cup in 1959.
His fitness regime was the pride of India’s coach, Syed Abdul Rahim, and the envy of all his other teammates. Kempaiah Da would run 30 laps on an off-day and would take a dozen extra laps every day, after training was completed. Kempaiah was credited with being one of the only Indian players to have a fitness level that was at par with any English professional player, according to Harry Wright, India’s coach after Rahim’s death.
At the club level Kempaiah Da played for East Bengal until 1956 when, on loan at Mohammedan Sporting, he beat Mohun Bagan in the final to win the Rovers Cup. Mohun Bagan were so impressed with Kempaiah’s performance that they signed him at the beginning of the next season, where he eventually retired.
He helped Bagan win three consecutive Durand Cup titles and three consecutive IFA Shield titles as well. His extraordinary ability to close down opponents and snatch the ball was unrivalled in the country. If a player managed to pass him once, his repeat tackles would inevitably ensure turning over of the possession.
Unfortunately, Kempaiah Da’s post-retirement life was a sad one, as is typical for many former greats of Indian football. He died after suffering from diabetes and was quietly forgotten. He lives on in the memories of his contemporaries and us.
Accolades
1956 Melbourne, 1960 Rome Olympian, 1962 Best Wing Half Award, 2000 Sportsman of the Millenium, five-time Durand Cup winner, three-time IFA Shield winner
