Jadavpur University in Kolkata restores rare 1962 football team photo, celebrating national trophy win
Times of India | 21 June 2026
Sagnik Bhaduri
KOLKATA: Jadavpur University (JU) has restored a rare photograph of the 1962 inter-university football team holding the Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee Trophy clicked at Howrah Station and placed it at the vice-chancellor’s room at Aurobindo Bhavan.
The win for the first time brought JU national fame.
Vice-chancellor Chiranjib Bhattacharjee inaugurated the restored image last Monday. Calling it a celebration of a “legendary 1962 win” at the national-level inter-university football tournament, Bhattacharjee said, “The photograph, taken 64 years ago, at Howrah station, has been discovered and restored. It would now be preserved at the VC’s office.”
The programme showcased the iconic team picture featuring the players with the Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee Trophy clicked at Howrah station after the tournament.
The final of the inter-varsity tournament in 1962 ended in a four-all draw after which Jadavpur and Mysore Universities were declared joint holders of the Trophy. JU earned the right to keep the Shield for the first six months after winning the toss.
The event on Monday was attended by surviving members of the 1962 squad— Shyama Prasad Chakrabarty, Sukumar Goswami and Asok Goswami were present physically whereas wife of Ranajit Lahiri and former captain Ghanashyam Adhikari joined online from the United States.
Professor of English department Abhijit Gupta said that the event’s genesis can be traced back to last year when they discovered the story of the iconic achievement by the university’s football team at the inter-university tournament that had been written by former team captain Ghanashyam Adhikari.
“So we decided to bring out a small booklet during the convocation ceremony and then Ghonti da (Ghanashyam Adhikari) suggested the idea of this event,” he added.
Gupta shared how this occasion is integral for getting access to an otherwise unexplored aspect of the institution.
“JU and sports often don’t go hand in hand. The university is usually known for its strides in education, academics and research. Ghonti da ,who has participated in marathons across seven continents, was very keen for the event. Hence,this has paved the path for exploring small stories or ‘micro-histories’ regarding the university. Some notable instances include the presence of former West Indies captain Frank Worrell during the first blood donation camp (1981) in the university or even the 1959 visit by civil rights activist Martin Luther King,”said Abhijit Gupta.
Family members of the veteran footballers also joined in the celebrations. Shipra Lahiri, wife of Ranajit Lahiri, and former captain Adhikari congratulated and thanked the university for organising the programme, as players and their relatives shared memories from the period.
Recounting the dramatic finish to the 1962 final, Shyama Chakraborty, an electrical engineering graduate from the 1961–65 batch who played on the right-off position, said the title was decided after unusual circumstances.
He said, “The final ended in a 4–4 tie, the replay scheduled for the following day was cancelled due to heavy rain. After Jadavpur University won the toss and the right to keep the shield for the first six months, the team returned to Howrah station where rector Triguna Sen garlanded them. The restored photograph captures that moment.”
Asok Goswami, from the 1963–67 batch, who played left-inside, recalled representing the university multiple times in both athletics and football, and said he later captained JU in the inter-university football tournament in 1967.
He added, “While the 1962 feat was not repeated, the experiences remained deeply cherished.” Gopa Goswami, wife of Sukumar Goswami, known as ‘Benu da’ and a right-half, spoke of the lasting bonds among the team members and credited Triguna Sen’s guidance for Sukumar Goswami’s growth as a footballer.
She said, “Although her husband now suffers from dementia and cannot speak with former teammates, she remains in touch with them, and described the occasion as a matter of immense pride for the family.”