I.M. Vijayan
Vijayan in 2017
Personal information
Full name Inivalappil Mani Vijayan
Date of birth (1969-04-25) 25 April 1969
Place of birth Thrissur, Kerala, India
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Striker
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1987–1991 Kerala Police (33)
1991–1992 Mohun Bagan (27)
1992–1993 Kerala Police (30)
1993–1994 Mohun Bagan 55 (18)
1994–1997 JCT Mills Phagwara 44 (19)
1997–1998 FC Kochin 50 (24)
1998–1999 Mohun Bagan 33 (15)
1999–2001 FC Kochin 47 (22)
2001–2002 East Bengal Club 18 (19)
2002–2004 JCT 34 (10)
2004–2005 Churchill Brothers 16 (22)
2005–2006 East Bengal Club 41 (11)
Total 284 (142)
International career
1992–2003 India 72 (29)
Medal record
 India
WinnerSAFF Championship1993
WinnerSAFF Championship1997
WinnerSAFF Championship1999
Third placeSAFF Championship2003
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Inivalappil Mani Vijayan (born 25 April 1969), also known by the nickname Kalo Harin (Blackbuck),[1] is a former professional football player who also captained the India national football team. He played as a striker,[2] where he formed a successful attacking partnership with Bhaichung Bhutia for the India national football team in the late nineties and early 2000s. Vijayan was crowned Indian Player of the Year in 1993, 1997 and 1999,[3] the first player to win the award multiple times.[4] He was also awarded the Arjuna Award in 2003.[5]

Vijayan started his career with the Kerala Police football club and rose to become one of the top names in domestic football. A highly aggressive player, he eventually became the highest earner in Indian club football as well as a regular choice in the Indian team. He scored one of the fastest ever international goals in a match against Bhutan in the 1999 SAF Games, where he managed to score in 12 seconds after kickoff.

Vijayan's talents attracted interest from the clubs in Malaysia and Thailand, although he spent his entire career in India until retirement. By the end of his career he had scored 29 international goals in 70 matches for India. Since retiring from international football, Vijayan has set up a football academy to train young players in his home town. He was the captain of Indian football team from 2000 to 2004.

Vijayan has also acted in some notable roles in many movies. One of his movies, Mmmmm was shortlisted for India's entry into the 93rd Academy Awards.[6]

Early life and domestic career

Vijayan was born into a Malayali Family[7] on 25 April 1969 at Thrissur City, Kerala. He began his life in a gravely poor environment, and had to sell soda bottles in the Thrissur Municipal Corporation Stadium to help his family. Vijayan started out as a soda seller in the Thrissur Municipal Corporation Stadium, Kerala earning 10 paise. (0.02 Cents) a bottle He studied in Church Mission Society High School, Thrissur (CMSHSS, Thrissur). He had passion for the game of football, and somehow caught the eye of the then DGP of Kerala, M.K. Joseph who got him selected for the Kerala Police football club at 17 years of age. Vijayan delivered brilliant performances for Kerala Police at Quilon Nationals 1987, and was able to impress the national football fraternity very soon with his impeccable skills and highly aggressive style of playing. He continued to play for Kerala Police until 1991. He then joined Mohun Bagan, before coming back to Kerala Police in 1992 and then switching back to Mohun Bagan the very next year for a second spell at the club. In 1994, he joined JCT Mills Phagwara, and stayed with them for 3 more years until 1997, when he left JCT to join FC Kochin. After spending a one year tenure with the club, he moved once more to Mohun Bagan in 1998, his third spell with the club, and then returned to FC Kochin in 1999.[8][9]

Vijayan with Bhaichung Bhutia in the inauguration ceremony of Palakkad Noorani Football stadium

In August 2000, during the off-season, Vijayan joined Bangladeshi Dhaka Premier Division League club Muktijoddha Sangsad and appeared in five league matches,[10][11] while the lack of international transfer certificate behind the signing caused a fine of 50,000 rupees by the All India Football Federation in March 2001.[12] He rejoined FC Kochin later and played until 2001.[13] He later signed with East Bengal, before leaving in 2002 to join JCT Mills Phagwara once more. After finishing a two-year stint with the club, he left JCT in 2004 and joined Churchill Brothers S.C. He left the club after one year and joined East Bengal in 2005, which was his last professional football club as an active football player. He left East Bengal in 2006. In the 2020–21 season, Vijayan appeared with Gokulam Kerala's futsal team.

International career

I.M. Vijayan made his debut in international football in the year 1992 and played in a number of tournaments such as Nehru Cup, Pre-Olympics, FIFA World Qualifiers, SAFF Championship and SAF Games. Vijayan and Bhaichung Bhutia formed one of the deadliest forward lines the Indian Football team had ever seen, and helped the team score various vital goals in international tournaments.[14] Vijayan was part of the victorious Indian team in the 1999 South Asian Football Federation Cup and scored one of the fastest international goals in history of sport during the tournament, hitting the net against Bhutan after only 12 seconds.[15] He also finished top scorer in the Afro-Asian Games event held in India in 2003 with four goals. Vijayan formally retired from international football after the Afro-Asian Games of 2003.[3]

International statistics

List of international goals scored by I. M. Vijayan
Scores and results list India's goal tally first
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1.9 May 1992Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata Pakistan1–02–01992 Asian Cup qualifier
2.2–0
3.24 January 1993Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Madras Cameroon1–01–11993 Nehru Cup
4.13 June 1993Bourj Hammoud Stadium, Beirut Hong Kong1–03–11994 World Cup qualifier
5.3–1
6.16 July 1993Railway Stadium, Lahore Sri Lanka1–02–01993 SAFF Championship
7.21 July 1993Railway Stadium, Lahore   Nepal1–01–01993 SAFF Championship
8.23 July 1993Railway Stadium, Lahore Pakistan1–11–11993 SAFF Championship
9.23 December 1995Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Madras Sri Lanka1–01–01995 South Asian Games
10.25 December 1995Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Madras   Nepal1–03–01995 South Asian Games
11.7 September 1997Dasharath Rangasala, Kathmandu Bangladesh1–03–01997 SAFF Championship
12.2–0
13.11 September 1997Dasharath Rangasala, Kathmandu Pakistan1–02–01997 SAFF Championship
14.2–0
15.13 September 1997Dasharath Rangasala, Kathmandu Maldives3–05–11997 SAFF Championship
16.5–1
177 December 1998Supachalasai Stadium Bangkok Turkmenistan1–32–31998 Asian Games
18.26 September 1999Dasharath Rangasala, Kathmandu Pakistan3–05–21999 South Asian Games
19.4–0
20.5–0
21.4 October 1999Dasharath Rangasala, Kathmandu Maldives1–13–11999 South Asian Games
22.20 November 1999Tahnoun bin Mohammed Stadium, Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates1–01–32000 Asian Cup qualifier
23.24 November 1999Tahnoun bin Mohammed Stadium, Abu Dhabi Uzbekistan2–12–32000 Asian Cup qualifier
24.28 November 1999Tahnoun bin Mohammed Stadium, Abu Dhabi Bangladesh1–02–22000 Asian Cup qualifier
25.4 May 2001Althawra Sports City Stadium, Sanaa Yemen3–23–32002 World Cup qualifier
26.20 May 2001Bangalore Football Stadium, Bangalore Brunei2–05–02002 World Cup qualifier
27.26 June 2001Stadium Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur Uzbekistan1–21–22001 Merdeka Tournament
28.18 January 2003Bangabandhu Stadium, Dhaka Pakistan1–02–12003 SAFF Championship
29.24 March 2003Fatorda Stadium, Margao North Korea1–01–12004 Asian Cup qualifier

Honours

Vijayan being felicitated by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup opening ceremony, in New Delhi, October 6, 2017.

India

Kerala

Bengal

Kerala Police

Mohun Bagan

JCT Mills

Individual

Kalo Harin

A biographical film, titled Kalo Harin and directed by Cherian Joseph, was released in 1998. The title translates as blackbuck and is a reference to Vijayan's popular nickname during his playing days.[31][32]

Acting career

After retiring from football, Vijayan started his acting career. His debut was through playing the lead role in the film Shantham, directed by Jayaraj. Later on, he went to act more than 20 films, in Malayalam & Tamil. In 2021, the movie 'Mmmmm' (sound of pain), starring Vijayan in the lead role was shortlisted as one of India's official entries for the Oscars.[33]

YearTitleRoleNotes
2001ShanthamVelayudhan
Akashathile ParavakalPalayar Manikyam
2004QuotationVettu Rajan
2005Ben Johnson
2006ThimiruChinna KaruppuTamil film
Shyaamam
KisanFootball Coach
MahasamudramHimself
2012AsuravithuValarpadam Kurudhu Musthafa
Bachelor Party
2015KombanMuthukalaiTamil film
2016GethuRajendranTamil film
2017The Great FatherAnto
Mythili Veendum Varunnu
2018Mattancherry
Abrahaminte SanthathikalDYSP Muhammed Jalal
2019Ganesha Meendum SanthipomKatthariTamil film
Porinju Mariam JoseKuriyachira George
BigilAlexTamil film
2021Muddy[34]
Mmmmm: Sound of PainOscar shortlisted[35]
2022Siddy[36]
The TeacherDevika's father[37]
Anaparambile Worldcup[38]

Family

Vijayan is married to Raji. He has 3 children: Aromal, Archana and Abhirami. He has a son in law, Abdul Aadil, and a granddaughter named Adeeva.

Other activities

In 2004, he started a sports equipment company named "Boxer Sports Goods Company (BSGC)" in Thrissur.[39][40]

After retirement from active football, Vijayan concentrated his attention upon his football School that he had opened in Thrissur.

He was also a member of the now defunct National Congress (Indira).[41] In 2010, Vijayan formally took over a coaching job with Southern Samity, a premier division side in the Calcutta Football League.[42] In March 2017, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, appointed Vijayan as the national observer for football.[43] In October 2018, Vijayan announced that he is starting a film production company called 'Bigdaddy Entertainment' jointly with his friends, which will be mainly revolving around football.[44][45]

In January 2017, Vijayan officially unveiled the club crest of newly formed I-League club Gokulam.[46] In February 2021, Vijayan was appointed as the director of Kerala Police Football Academy, a new police football academy, which is going to be set up in Malappuram.[47]

On 2 September 2022, Vijayan was elected as a member of the technical committee of the All India Football Federation.[48][49][50]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Bhutan Football Federation became a member of FIFA only in the year 2000.[17] so, the match against Bhutan at the 1999 South Asian Games is not considered a FIFA 'A' international match by FIFA.

References

  1. ↑ "The legend who sold soda bottles – A Tribute to I.M.Vijayan". Sportskeeda. 13 July 2012. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 11 June 2018.
  2. ↑ K. John, Binoo (2 February 1998). "With over Rs 1 cr as prize money for Philips League, local clubs sign up foreign players". www.indiatoday.in. India Today. Archived from the original on 1 February 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  3. 1 2 "A down to earth footballer". Sportstar. 22 November 2003. Archived from the original on 15 September 2013. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
  4. ↑ "AIFF award 2008". Top news.in. 24 December 2008. Archived from the original on 9 March 2012. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
  5. ↑ "Arjuna award 2003". The Hindu. 3 August 2003. Archived from the original on 25 January 2013. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
  6. ↑ "Actor or footballer or both? IM Vijayan-starrer 'Mmmmm' shortlisted for Oscars - The New Indian Express". www.newindianexpress.com. Archived from the original on 10 July 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  7. ↑ "Deer-Footed Magician". Outlook. Archived from the original on 18 June 2018. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  8. ↑ "Season ending transfers 1999". Indianfootball.de. Archived from the original on 17 February 2020. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  9. ↑ "Season ending transfers 2000". Indianfootball.de. Archived from the original on 17 February 2020. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  10. ↑ "Vijayan takes AIFF fine in his stride". timesofindia.indiatimes.com. New Delhi: The Times of India. 19 July 2001. Archived from the original on 1 November 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  11. ↑ Chaudhuri, Arunava. "NEWS FOR THE MONTH OF March 2001 — March 3 and 5 — Note: 1". www.indianfootball.de. Indian Football Network. Archived from the original on 9 August 2016. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  12. ↑ "Vijayan fined, allowed time to appeal". rediff.com. New Delhi: Rediff Mail Sports. 26 March 2001. Archived from the original on 1 November 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  13. ↑ Glorytales of Indian Football: FC Kochin, IM Vijayan and their amazing success story Archived 14 July 2021 at the Wayback Machine. sports-nova.com. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  14. ↑ Banerjee, Ritabrata (12 March 2015). "4 instances when India could have played in FIFA World Cup". sportskeeda.com. Sportskeeda. Archived from the original on 31 January 2023.
  15. ↑ "Gone in 13 seconds or less: The fastest international goals". ESPN FC. 14 November 2017. Archived from the original on 20 October 2020. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  16. ↑ "Invalappil Mani Vijayan - Goals in International Matches". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  17. ↑ "World's worst' football team pulls off miracle win". Hindustan Times. Agence France-Presse. 12 March 2015. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  18. 1 2 Chaudhuri, Arunava; Stokkermans, Karel (2001). "Afro-Asian Games 2003". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 28 September 2022. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  19. ↑ "LIST OF ARJUNA AWARD WINNERS - Football | Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports". yas.nic.in. Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. Archived from the original on 25 December 2007. Retrieved 25 December 2007.
  20. ↑ Chaudhuri, Arunava (2000). "National Award winning Footballers". indianfootball.de. IndianFootball. Archived from the original on 1 October 2018. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
  21. ↑ "AIFF PLAYER OF THE YEAR — FROM STARTING". Kolkata Football. Archived from the original on 23 August 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  22. ↑ "Jeje Lalpekhlua is 2016 AIFF Player of the Year". AIFF. Archived from the original on 27 December 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  23. ↑ "All India Football Federation Awards: Sunil Chhetri and Bala Devi win Player of the Year Trophy". India Today. 14 February 2015. Archived from the original on 26 September 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  24. ↑ Sharma, Ramu (11 February 2000). "Marketing Indian Football Abroad". tribuneindia.com. Chandigarh: The Tribune Sports. Archived from the original on 26 January 2005. Retrieved 30 April 2008.
  25. ↑ Bobrowsky, Josef; King, Ian (1 January 2006). "Nehru Cup 1993". The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 5 October 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  26. ↑ R 6739, M. R. Praveen Chandran & Praveen Chandran M. (25 August 2022). "I.M. Vijayan felicitated by Kerala Education Minister". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 27 September 2023.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  27. ↑ ലേഖകൻ, മാധ്യമം (22 June 2022). "ഐ.എം. വിജയൻ ഇനി ഡോ. ഐ.എം. വിജയൻ | Madhyamam". www.madhyamam.com (in Malayalam). Archived from the original on 23 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  28. ↑ "ഐ.എം.വിജയനും 'ഡോക്ടറാ'യി; ചികിത്സ പക്ഷേ, സ്പോർട്സിനു മാത്രം". ManoramaOnline (in Malayalam). Archived from the original on 24 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  29. ↑ Desk, Sports (23 June 2022). "ഇന്ത്യൻ ഫുട്‌ബോളിന് നൽകിയ 'സുഖചികിത്സ'ക്ക് ആദരം; ഇനി ഡോ. ഐ.എം വിജയൻ". www.mediaoneonline.com (in Malayalam). Retrieved 27 September 2023.
  30. ↑ Ghoshal, Amoy (23 November 2016). "All time Indian XI". sportskeeda.com. Sportskeeda. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  31. ↑ "I.M. Vijayan: Up, close and personal with 'Kalo Harin'". The Week. 28 October 2020. Archived from the original on 2 June 2021. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  32. ↑ "KALO HARIN (1998)". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 2 June 2021. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  33. ↑ "'Soorarai Pottru', IM Vijayan starrer 'Mmmmm' among films in contention for Oscar Awards". Mathrubhumi. Archived from the original on 6 March 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  34. ↑ "Malayalam action thriller Muddy to release on December 10". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  35. ↑ "Actor or footballer or both? IM Vijayan-starrer 'Mmmmm' shortlisted for Oscars". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
  36. ↑ FC, Team (3 October 2022). "Everything Releasing This Week In Theatres (October 3rd - 9th)". www.filmcompanion.in. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
  37. ↑ "The Teacher trailer: Amala Paul promises a hard-hitting film". The Indian Express. 21 November 2022. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
  38. ↑ "Antony Varghese's Aanaparambile World Cup gets release date". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
  39. ↑ "About Us". boxersports.in. Archived from the original on 12 April 2015. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  40. ↑ "Vijayan's 'football' ready for launch". The Hindu. UNI. 14 July 2004. Archived from the original on 17 December 2014.
  41. ↑ "A new role for Vijayan". The Hindu. 15 July 2005. Archived from the original on 19 May 2006. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
  42. ↑ "Vijayan begins coaching career". The Hindu. 18 July 2010. Archived from the original on 22 July 2010. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
  43. ↑ "Government designates 12 Olympians as National Observers". The Indian Express. PTI. Archived from the original on 10 July 2021. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
  44. ↑ "Footballer-turned-actor IM Vijayan launches production company". Cinema Express. Cinema Express. Archived from the original on 7 January 2019. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  45. ↑ "IM Vijayan to make his production debut with a football based film". ONLOOKERS MEDIA. 9 October 2018. Archived from the original on 29 January 2020. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  46. ↑ Media, FWD (12 April 2017). "Rediscovering Football Glory of Kerala | Eyeing to make Gokulam FC the first professional club in Kerala". fwdbusiness.com. Kerala: FWD Business (March – April 2017 issue). Archived from the original on 4 July 2022. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  47. ↑ "My aim is to scout for budding footballers, make them world-beaters: IM Vijayan". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 12 February 2021. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
  48. ↑ Sports Desk, FPJ (2 September 2022). "Former goalkeeper Kalyan Chaubey appointed new AIFF President". www.freepressjournal.com. The Free Press Journal. Archived from the original on 4 September 2022. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
  49. ↑ "List of AIFF executive committee members & co-opted eminent players". khelnow.com. Khel Now. 2 September 2022. Archived from the original on 4 September 2022. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  50. ↑ Media Team, AIFF (3 September 2022). "AIFF Executive Committee appoints Shaji Prabhakaran as new Secretary General". www.the-aiff.com. New Delhi: All India Football Federation. Archived from the original on 4 September 2022. Retrieved 4 September 2022.

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