"Whatever I get in the mine does not last even fifteen days" - the confession of a simple, simple boy from Manikpur village of Medinipur. He was the youngest in the family of three brothers and three sisters.
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| Suyash Bera. (This photo was collected from Facebook 'mohanbagan e librery') |
Local Nandigram Brajmohan Tewari Shikshaniketan started studies. Also play. A few days after passing the higher secondary examination, the father died. All the responsibilities of the great world fell on him. He used to wander around for work. Forgetting football, he used to do small jobs for very little money. I had to cook and eat with my own hands.
Suyash Bera still kept the dream of becoming a big footballer alive in his mind. In Kota, Rajasthan, the duty in the railway workshop was eight hours. Even in that situation, he tried to practice as much as possible.
First in 1979 and then in 1980, Suyash Bera was selected for the Railway team. Santosh Trophy in Rourkella in 1980. Railway coach PK Banerjee. Rail lost to Bengal in the semi-final. Suyash Bera played well. Shailene Manna invited him to play at Mohun Bagan.
So many dreams! However, there was a dilemma. There was a job, albeit a small one, in the railways. If he comes to play in Kolkata, that job will no longer exist. Shailen Mannai solved the problem. Suyash Berar arranged a job at his old workplace, Bengal Immunity. Prasoon Banerjee is not in Seva team. Suyash Bera paired up with Gautam Sarkar in many games. Although Prasoon Banerjee returned the following year, he remained in Mohun Bagan. He did not give up even though he got fewer opportunities than the previous year. When you play, you play with your heart.
1984, Mohunbagan coach PK Banerjee in Kolkata league. He was given special duty by PK in the last derby match at Eden. The other two midfielders Prashanta Banerjee and Vikas Panji being a bit more aggressive can also put pressure on the defence. So Suyash Bera was given the responsibility of defensive midfielder. He played one of the best games of his life that day.
Mohun Bagan won with Babu Mani's goal.
The industrious Suyash Bera was not famous in that sense. His mine was also low. Suyash Bera, who carried a large family, once lamented,
'What I get in the mine does not even last fifteen days of the month'.
When Shailene told Manna that, he used to pay two thousand taka per month to Suyash from his own money. East Bengal, used to get calls from Mahamedan every year at the time of party change. Mohun Bagan did not leave. Suyash Bera was once lost in the crowd of many big players. Maidan has forgotten him.
Mohun Bagan e-Library wants to introduce Mohun Bagan fans to some of these forgotten stars.
Source of information
#JoyMohunBagan
#mariners
#MohunBaganE-Library
