Krishnaji: Karnataka's football legend

There are players who dazzle the world, bring smiles on faces with their skills and who earns plaudits, rightfully so, for their achievements on the field. Then there are those whose influence goes beyond that; they mould generations. Earn the adjective - legend. Krishnaji Rao, who breathed his last on Sunday at the age of 81, was definitely one.

Across generations, players and officials describe him as a disciplined, tough, strong, driven, student of the game.

"In addition to playing, if a man has to stand out, they need to have some other characteristics like discipline and morality. He had those," says his long-time team-mate and fellow icon Amjad Khan. "We had a long association, he was the most versatile player of our generation between 1950-75. He could move from midfield to centre back and right back without dropping his levels. That was his greatness."

The duo shared the field together for 12 years and stood against each other on the sidelines as coaches. "We shared a lot of good memories, we were good friends and rivals," he says with a laugh.

The tale of Krishnaji is written across Indian football landscape - a stalwart for CIL FC, a verstalite footballer with an iron will who represented the country at the 1966 Asian Games, the leader that led erstwhile Mysore State to back-to-back Santosh Trophy titles in 1967-68 and 1968-69, a coach that influenced the rise of Shanmugam Venkatesh and many others who went on to have long, impressive careers, an assistant coach and technical director for the national team, a godfather figure for Karnataka football.

As a player, he was one of the pillars of the team that won the Santosh Trophy titles, the second being the last the State has won. He captained the then Mysore State to the crown in 1967-68 in Cuttack, beating the mighty Railways - which had the likes of PK Banerjee and Arun Ghosh - and Bengal.

As the story goes, coach GMH Basha, a visionary, asked Krishnaji to switch from midfield to right back because he was worried about Bengal's pacy winger. The captain, aided by his versatility and ability to read the game, produced a cultured performance and shut down the flank. They were welcomed like heroes, paraded across the city in an open top vehicle.

A year later in Bengaluru, Mysore State would repeat the feat. Krishnaji, though, would miss the semifinal win over Tamil Nadu via coin toss and final triumph over Bengal, a 1-0 win in the replay after the first final ended in a draw, due to an injury.

Khan, who scored the winning goal in that final, remembers those days fondly.

"We won two Santosh Trophy titles and finished runners-up twice. I think the 1967-68 team is one of the best teams ever in India. There have been great players and great elevens that were better than us individually. But as a team, I will put that 67 team as the best ever," he says.

And he has good reason to. Not only did they win two Santosh Trophy titles, which at that time was the most prestigious tournament in India, they also won the Pentangular tournament in Colombo. The Mysore State team also represented India in the Asian Club championship in Thailand in 1969, where they finished fourth. They lost to Maccabi Tel Aviv in the semifinals.

After his playing days, Krishnaji set about moulding the next generations.

"He was a leader. I still try to follow him in my coaching career. His discipline, respect and how to handle the team. We will not see another Krishnaji sir in the future. I can say that with certainty," says Shanmugam Venkatesh, who is the head coach of AIFF development team Indian Arrows..

"Everything I am today, the credit goes to Krishnaji sir," says Venkatesh, the last true superstar from the state. "He was the coach of ITI and gave me a chance to play (in 95-96). That time I had not played anything. But he knew, he had the confidence and the eye to see which player had it in him to play at a high level. That was the turning point in my career."

Venkatesh would go on to represent the state in Santosh Trophy under Krishnaji before turning out for Salgaocar, East Bengal and Mahindra United, not to mention the national team.

"Him, AD Nagendra sir and Amjad Khan. They are football factories, they have done so much for Indian football and Karnataka football," says Venkatesh, "They gave opportunities and jobs, produced international players. RC Prakash, Carlton Chapman, Noel Wilson, Saravana Babu, Manohar, Narasimhan Balaji, myself... East Bengal, Mohun Bagan and everyone has to thank these three for producing so many players, that too across so many generations. Nowadays no one remembers the legends. We have to honour and give them respect. That's a request I have to the Karnataka State Football Association," says Venkatesh.

Respect is something Krishnaji has earned. After over 50 years since winning the trophies, in Karnataka, he was still ‘captain’. Will forever remain captain.