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The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has recommended IM Vijayan for India's fourth-highest civilian award, Padma Shri to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. IM Vijayan was previously awarded the Arjuna Award by the Government of India back in 2003. He has won the AIFF Player of the Year awards in 1993, 1997, and 1999.
IM Vijayan: Humble beginnings to eminence
IM Vijayan used to sell sodas at the Thrissur Municipal Corporation Stadium, Kerala, and used to earn a paltry salary before his footballing sojourn began. Vijayan was called to the Kerala Police State Football Team's trials for departmental games and impressed on his first attempt at the age of 17.
After four years with Kerala Police Football Team, IM Vijayan earned his first-ever professional contract with Mohun Bagan after the scouts from Kolkata were impressed by his immense pace and skills in Federation Cup games.
He returned to Kerala Police after failing to make a mark in Kolkata initially before joining Mohun Bagan for the second time in three years. He played 55 games for Mohun Bagan in the Calcutta Football League, IFA Shield, Federation Cup, Durand Cup, and Rovers Cup and netted 18 goals in a single football season. He joined Punjab-based JCT Mills Phagwara in the National Football League, and stayed for three seasons with the Punjab Football League side, scoring 19 goals in 44 appearances.
IM Vijayan returned to his home state with newly formed FC Kochin and showed phenomenal form. He scored 24 goals with Kochin in a single football season to attract Mohun Bagan again.
He joined the Mariners for the third time before rejoining FC Kochin in the 1998-99 season. Vijayan returned to Kolkata in the successive season, but as part of the rival camp of East Bengal. He joined JCT for two years before making his debut in Goan football with Churchill Brothers in the 2004-05 season. Vijayan joined East Bengal in the 2005-06 season before hanging up his boots.
Vijayan's scoring abilities allowed him to score 29 goals for India in 66 games, making him the third-highest scorer for the national team after Baichung Bhutia and Sunil Chhetri. Vijayan made his debut for the national team in the 1989 Nehru Cup.
Vijayan is fondly often called the Black Buck and has had a biopic made on him named, Kalo Harin (literally meaning Black Buck). Vijayan has also acted in more than 20 films in the Kerala and Tamil Nadu Film Industry.
Vijayan now plays the locally organized seven-a-side tournament in Kerala and is a senior cop in Kerala Police. He has also coached Calcutta Football League side Southern Samity and is the owner of a Sports Equipment Company called 'Boxer Sports Goods Company (BSGC)' in Thrissur. He has also served as the National Observer of football under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India.
