Born in an Army back ground in July 28 1928 at a small locality of then known as Naspatighari Nongsohphoh in Shillong Lt. Col. (Retd.) Puran Bahadur Thapa earns the distinction of being the first Indian to score hat trick in international football tournament. Oh! Meghalaya Associate Editor Suraj Joshi catches up with him and he was led to the heydays of by Thapa.
In 1947, left footer Puran Thapa joined the 8th Gorkha Rifles and the following year he was picked up for services team to play in the Santosh Trophy. Having played well for the services team, the following year, he donned the national cap.
In 1954, he created the history of being the first Indian to score a hattrick in International match after he scored thrice against arch rival Pakistan during Asian Quadrangular Football Tournament at Kolkata, for which he was honoured by Mohun Bagan Athletic Club by awarding a gold medal.
Thapa, also holds the distinction of being the first coach of Shillong Lajong FC which was then known Lajong Sports and Cultural Club.
Thapa guided Gorkha Brigade to the final of 1954 Durand Cup as captain but the club went down to Madras Regimental Centre 0-2.
“Football of our days and today are totally different” eighty-four years old Thapa recalled. “We used to call it ‘W’ format with 5 in the forward line, three in the middle line, two in defence line and one goalkeeper and we used to play a simple straight game of “kick and run”.
Thapa observed that today, it is different as it has become more of a scientific game.
Thapa, who had to miss the berth for 1952 and 1956 Olympic games because of his exigency of the service in the Army said “I do not regret for not playing Olympic games as either way it was to service to the nation”.
Thapa was commissioned in 1954 and he last wore the national cap in the 1956. He was the member of Indian team that toured Far Eastern Tour in 1951; he was also the member of Indian team that toured USSR (Russia) in 1955.
Talking about his game Thapa said “I was a left footer and my left leg was perfect and my right leg was just opposite. It was our English coach, Mr. Flatley, who insisted that I should use both the leg which really helped me develop my game and so the credit goes to him”. He stopped playing international game in 1960.
After retiring from the Army in 1980, Thapa came back to Shillong and in 1982 trained Lajong and ARC for about three years. He also trained the State team in 1982 & 1983.
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