<p>Olympian and Asian Games gold medallist Thulukhanam Shanmugam finally gave into his battle against time as the 93-year-old breathed his last on Thursday night.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The former Karnataka (then Mysore) player, who has been battling respiratory disorder for long, had been admitted at a city hospital with acute bronchitis over a week ago and had returned home only three days back after an improvement in his condition.<br /><br />With a supporting family by his side, the nonagenarian’s health was steady until it suddenly deteriorated on Thursday before he finally succumbed.<br /><br />The widower, who celebrated his 93rd birthday on June 19, is survived by two sons, two daughters, seven grand children and five great grand children.<br /><br />“Football was everything to him,” said his grandson Purushotham with tears in his eyes. “He was in the ward on Sunday and was watching the Premier League match (Manchester United versus Manchester City). He was fond of United. Even though he couldn’t talk he made signs with his hand each time something happened.” <br /><br />A student of Austin Town High School and RBANMS High School, Shanmugam began his career in football when he represented the Maharaja Socials and Bangalore Student Football Club in the Bangalore Senior Division League. He made a big jump when he got his offer letter to join the Sullivan Police Sports Club of the Bangalore Police Force in 1941.<br /><br />Following his success as a ‘stylish midfielder’, Shanmugam made it to the Mysore team which won the Santhosh Trophy in 1946 and 1952. Before his second Santhosh Trophy triumph, Shanmugam played a crucial part in India’s Asian Games victory in 1951. His continued brilliance on the field earned him a spot in the Indian team to participate in the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki under legendary Sailendra Nath Manna, who passed away earlier this year. Though the team crashed out of the Games after losing 1-10 to Yugoslavia, Shanmugam and team-mates returned home heroes.<br /><br />Shanmugam retired from professional football in 1954 and took to coaching soon after. After working out the skills required, he coached Mysore from 1964 to 1978 when he led his team to a couple of Santhosh Trophies. He then moved to Salgaocar, where he would remain for 14 years and make his biggest impact on the game.<br /><br />“He carried Goan football on his shoulders,” said I Arumainayagam, 1962 Asian Games gold medallist. “Well after he retired, whenever Goan players came to Bangalore, they would come and visit him at his home. He showed them the way.”<br /><br />Karnataka State Football Association president AR Khaleel, Bangalore District Association secretary ST Bhoopal and Sports Minister Appachu Ranjan were a few of the big names who came over to his residence to offer their condolences.<br /><br />Shanmugam was cremated at the Kalpalli Burial grounds on Friday evening in the presence of over two hundred family members, relatives, and footballers who have been influenced by the great man.<br /></p>
<p>Olympian and Asian Games gold medallist Thulukhanam Shanmugam finally gave into his battle against time as the 93-year-old breathed his last on Thursday night.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The former Karnataka (then Mysore) player, who has been battling respiratory disorder for long, had been admitted at a city hospital with acute bronchitis over a week ago and had returned home only three days back after an improvement in his condition.<br /><br />With a supporting family by his side, the nonagenarian’s health was steady until it suddenly deteriorated on Thursday before he finally succumbed.<br /><br />The widower, who celebrated his 93rd birthday on June 19, is survived by two sons, two daughters, seven grand children and five great grand children.<br /><br />“Football was everything to him,” said his grandson Purushotham with tears in his eyes. “He was in the ward on Sunday and was watching the Premier League match (Manchester United versus Manchester City). He was fond of United. Even though he couldn’t talk he made signs with his hand each time something happened.” <br /><br />A student of Austin Town High School and RBANMS High School, Shanmugam began his career in football when he represented the Maharaja Socials and Bangalore Student Football Club in the Bangalore Senior Division League. He made a big jump when he got his offer letter to join the Sullivan Police Sports Club of the Bangalore Police Force in 1941.<br /><br />Following his success as a ‘stylish midfielder’, Shanmugam made it to the Mysore team which won the Santhosh Trophy in 1946 and 1952. Before his second Santhosh Trophy triumph, Shanmugam played a crucial part in India’s Asian Games victory in 1951. His continued brilliance on the field earned him a spot in the Indian team to participate in the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki under legendary Sailendra Nath Manna, who passed away earlier this year. Though the team crashed out of the Games after losing 1-10 to Yugoslavia, Shanmugam and team-mates returned home heroes.<br /><br />Shanmugam retired from professional football in 1954 and took to coaching soon after. After working out the skills required, he coached Mysore from 1964 to 1978 when he led his team to a couple of Santhosh Trophies. He then moved to Salgaocar, where he would remain for 14 years and make his biggest impact on the game.<br /><br />“He carried Goan football on his shoulders,” said I Arumainayagam, 1962 Asian Games gold medallist. “Well after he retired, whenever Goan players came to Bangalore, they would come and visit him at his home. He showed them the way.”<br /><br />Karnataka State Football Association president AR Khaleel, Bangalore District Association secretary ST Bhoopal and Sports Minister Appachu Ranjan were a few of the big names who came over to his residence to offer their condolences.<br /><br />Shanmugam was cremated at the Kalpalli Burial grounds on Friday evening in the presence of over two hundred family members, relatives, and footballers who have been influenced by the great man.<br /></p>
