Former footballers honoured on Independence Day

KOCHI: Former football stars Olympian Simon Sunderraj and T K S Mani were honoured at a function held as part of the 65th Independence Day celebrations at the FACT Ground, Eloor, on Monday.The function, organised by the FACT Sports Association, also turned out to be a reunion  of former players of the departmental side, which was among the best in the state in their time.Sunderraj and Mani were presented with mementos by FACT chairman and managing director Sham Lal Goyal. Former employees of FACT, Simon Sunderraj and T K S Mani, had combined as coach and captain helping Kerala win their first-ever national football championship at the Maharaja’s College Stadium here in 1973.Sunderraj, who scored a goal for India during the national team’s last appearance in the Olympics- in 1960 in Rome,  was the coach when Mani struck a hattrick in the final of the 1973 Santoh Trophy.Former internationals M M Jacob, V P Shaji, P R Harshan and Firoz Sherief were among those who attended the function. In the opening match of the FACT-Josco Veterans Football Tournament held as part of the celebrations, Kochi Veterans Footballers, Fort Kochi, beat hosts FACT via the tie-breaker (3-2) after the teams were locked goalless in regulation time.Later, Ernakulam XI beat Don Bosco XI 1-0. The final will be held on Tuesday.In an exhibition match involving Vision India football academies, Sacred Heart Football Academy, Thevara, beat Rajagiri Football Academy, Kalamassery, 2-1.