Subhash Bhowmick no more

Former India international player and coach and bronze medalist winner of the 1970 Bangkok Asian Games Football, Subhash Bhowmick, 71, passed away today in the wee hours of morning at Kolkata. 

He was suffering from Kidney ailment for past few years and regularly undergoing dialysis. 

Bhowmick was one of the few rare breeds in Indian football who equally dazzled as a player and coach. After hanging boots, he donned the role of a football coach and manager. 

Not only did he managed the top three Kolkata Clubs, but also coached Salgaocar and Churchill Brothers in Goa. For the latter Goan team, he won the I-League title in 2012-13 season. 

Before that He coached East Bengal to win the Kolkata Football League from 2002-2004, the San Miguel Cup in Kathmandu in 2004, the National Football League (back-to-back) in 2002-03, and 2003-04, the IFA Shield in 2002, the Independence Day Cup in 2002, and the Durand Cup in 2002.

At the domestic level, Bhowmick represented Bengal in the Santosh Trophy in 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973 (captain), and in 1975, winning it 4 times (in 1969,1971,1972,1975), scoring 24 goals.

At the club level, he played for East Bengal in 1969, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1979, and scored 82 goals. He helped the Red and Golds win the Calcutta Football League in 1973, 1974, 1975; the IFA Shield in 1973, 1974, 1975; the Rovers Cup in 1969, 1973; the DCM Trophy in 1973, 1974); and the Bordoloi Trophy in 1973. He also played for Mohun Bagan in 1970, 1971, 1972, 1976, 1977, 1978 and finished with 84 goals. He helped Mohun Bagan to win the Calcutta Football League in 1976, 1978; IFA Shield in 1976 (joint-winners), 1977, 1978 (joint-winners); the Federation Cup in 1978 (joint-winners); the Rovers Cup in 1970, 1971, 1972 (joint-winners), 1977; the Durand Cup in 1977; the Nehru Trophy in 1970; the Bordoloi Trophy in 1976, 1977; the Darjeeling Gold Cup in 1976 (joint-winners); and the Sait Nagjee Trophy in 1978.

Subhash Bhowmick was always known for his involvement with the beautiful game, a great communicator, and an avid learner. 

Naranyanswamy Ulaganathan recalled the time he spent with Bhowmick during his playing days in Mohun Bagan club and Santosh Trophy for Bengal. 

“He was a very good person, in the 1975 Santosh Trophy at Kozhikode that Bengal won, he was literally unstoppable, easily getting past his opponents, he also scored a hattrick in that edition”, remembered from Hyderabad. “My condolences to his family", Ulaga concludes the conversation.