Wikipedia

I. M. Vijayan

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]

I.M. Vijayan
Vijayan in 2017
Personal information
Full name Inivalappil Mani Vijayan
Date of birth (1969-04-25) 25 April 1969 (age 55)
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
Winner SAFF Championship 1993
Winner SAFF Championship 1997
Winner SAFF Championship 1999
Third place SAFF Championship 2003
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

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 72 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

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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.[14]

International career

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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.[15] 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.[16] 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]

Career statistics

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International

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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 1992 Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata   Pakistan 1–0 2–0 1992 Asian Cup qualifier
2. 2–0
3. 24 January 1993 Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Madras   Cameroon 1–0 1–1 1993 Nehru Cup
4. 13 June 1993 Bourj Hammoud Stadium, Beirut   Hong Kong 1–0 3–1 1994 World Cup qualifier
5. 3–1
6. 16 July 1993 Railway Stadium, Lahore   Sri Lanka 1–0 2–0 1993 SAFF Championship
7. 21 July 1993 Railway Stadium, Lahore     Nepal 1–0 1–0 1993 SAFF Championship
8. 23 July 1993 Railway Stadium, Lahore   Pakistan 1–1 1–1 1993 SAFF Championship
9. 23 December 1995 Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Madras   Sri Lanka 1–0 1–0 1995 South Asian Games
10. 25 December 1995 Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Madras     Nepal 1–0 3–0 1995 South Asian Games
11. 7 September 1997 Dasharath Rangasala, Kathmandu   Bangladesh 1–0 3–0 1997 SAFF Championship
12. 2–0
13. 11 September 1997 Dasharath Rangasala, Kathmandu   Pakistan 1–0 2–0 1997 SAFF Championship
14. 2–0
15. 13 September 1997 Dasharath Rangasala, Kathmandu   Maldives 3–0 5–1 1997 SAFF Championship
16. 5–1
17 7 December 1998 Supachalasai Stadium Bangkok   Turkmenistan 1–3 2–3 1998 Asian Games
18. 26 September 1999 Dasharath Rangasala, Kathmandu   Pakistan 3–0 5–2 1999 South Asian Games
19. 4–0
20. 5–0
21. 4 October 1999 Dasharath Rangasala, Kathmandu   Maldives 1–1 3–1 1999 South Asian Games
22. 20 November 1999 Tahnoun bin Mohammed Stadium, Abu Dhabi   United Arab Emirates 1–0 1–3 2000 Asian Cup qualifier
23. 24 November 1999 Tahnoun bin Mohammed Stadium, Abu Dhabi   Uzbekistan 2–1 2–3 2000 Asian Cup qualifier
24. 28 November 1999 Tahnoun bin Mohammed Stadium, Abu Dhabi   Bangladesh 1–0 2–2 2000 Asian Cup qualifier
25. 4 May 2001 Althawra Sports City Stadium, Sanaa   Yemen 3–2 3–3 2002 World Cup qualifier
26. 20 May 2001 Bangalore Football Stadium, Bangalore   Brunei 2–0 5–0 2002 World Cup qualifier
27. 26 June 2001 Stadium Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur   Uzbekistan 1–2 1–2 2001 Merdeka Tournament
28. 18 January 2003 Bangabandhu Stadium, Dhaka   Pakistan 1–0 2–1 2003 SAFF Championship
29. 24 March 2003 Fatorda Stadium, Margao   North Korea 1–0 1–1 2004 Asian Cup qualifier

Honours

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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

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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.[32][33]

Acting career

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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.[34]

Year Title Role Notes
2001 Shantham Velayudhan
Akashathile Paravakal Walayar Manikyam
2004 Quotation Vettu Rajan
2005 Ben Johnson
2006 Thimiru Chinna Karuppu Tamil film
Shyaamam
Kisan Football Coach
Mahasamudram Himself
2012 Asuravithu Valarpadam Kurudhu Musthafa
Bachelor Party
2015 Komban Muthukalai Tamil film
2016 Gethu Rajendran Tamil film
2017 The Great Father Anto
Mythili Veendum Varunnu
2018 Mattancherry
Abrahaminte Santhathikal DYSP Muhammed Jalal
2019 Ganesha Meendum Santhipom Katthari Tamil film
Porinju Mariam Jose Kuriyachira George
Bigil Alex Tamil film
2021 Muddy [35]
Mmmmm: Sound of Pain Oscar shortlisted[36]
2022 Siddy [37]
The Teacher Gunashekharan [38]
Anaparambile Worldcup [39]
2024 Idiyan Chandhu [40]
Gumasthan Lorry driver [41]

Family

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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.[42][43]

Other activities

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In 2004, he started a sports equipment company named "Boxer Sports Goods Company (BSGC)" in Thrissur.[44][45]

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).[46] In 2010, Vijayan formally took over a coaching job with Southern Samity, a premier division side in the Calcutta Football League.[47] In March 2017, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, appointed Vijayan as the national observer for football.[48] 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.[49][50]

In January 2017, Vijayan officially unveiled the club crest of newly formed I-League club Gokulam.[51] 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.[52]

On 2 September 2022, Vijayan was elected as a member of the technical committee of the All India Football Federation.[53][54][55]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Bhutan Football Federation became a member of FIFA only in the year 2000.[18] so, the match against Bhutan at the 1999 South Asian Games is not considered a FIFA 'A' international match by FIFA.

References

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  48. ^ "Government designates 12 Olympians as National Observers". The Indian Express. PTI. Archived from the original on 10 July 2021. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
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Further reading

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Bibliography

Other sources

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