View source for Mohun Bagan AC

{{Short description|Indian professional multi-sports club based in Kolkata, West Bengal}}
{{About|the multi-sports club|the association football team|Mohun Bagan Super Giant|for Mohun Bagan SG U23s, U21s, U17s, and Academy (Football)| Mohun Bagan SG Youth and Academy|the cricket team|Mohun Bagan cricket team|the field hockey team|Mohun Bagan field hockey team|}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox sports team
| clubname = Mohun Bagan Athletic Club
| image = Mohun Bagan A.C. logo.svg
| upright = 0.85
| fullname = Mohun Bagan Athletic Club
| nickname = The Mariners
| short_name = MBAC
| founded = {{start date and age|1889|8|15|df=yes}} (as ''Mohun Bagan Sporting Club'')<ref>{{cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=History in Timeline of Indian Football|url=https://www.the-aiff.com/history|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200308124507/http://www.the-aiff.com/history|archive-date=8 March 2020|access-date=2021-02-15|website=the-aiff.com|publisher=All India Football Federation}}</ref>
| colors = {{Color box|green}} [[Green]]<br/>{{Color box|maroon}} [[Maroon]]
<p><strong>President:</strong> Debasish Dutta</p>
<p><strong>General Secretary:</strong> Srinjoy Bose</p>
| website = {{official URL}}
}}

{{Mohun Bagan AC sections}}
'''Mohun Bagan Athletic Club''' is an Indian professional [[multi-sports club]] based in [[Kolkata]], [[West Bengal]]. Founded in 1889, it is one of the oldest multi-sports clubs in [[Asia]]. The club has various sports departments like [[association football|football]], [[cricket]], [[field hockey|hockey]], [[tennis]], [[Sport of athletics|athletics]] and [[Esports|eSports]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://wbsportsandyouth.gov.in/chronology|title=Chronology of Important Sports Events — West Bengal|website=wbsportsandyouth.gov.in|publisher=Government of West Bengal – Department of youth services and sports|date=2017|access-date=25 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221013092944/https://wbsportsandyouth.gov.in/chronology|archive-date=13 October 2022|location=Kolkata}}</ref>

== History ==
[[File:Bhupendranath_Bose.jpg|thumb|[[Bhupendra Nath Bose]], the first president of Mohun Bagan]]
The foundation of Mohun Bagan stretches back into the 1880s when the neighborhood youth of presently known Fariapukur Lane in [[Shyambazar]] had set out in search for an ideal place to establish a football club, and came across a marble palace, ''Mohun Bagan Villa'', owned by the family of a leading [[jute trade]]r, Kirti Chandra Mitra.<ref name="MB Villa">{{cite web |last1=Mukherjee |first1=Anita |title=MOHUN BAGAN VILLA – GONE, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN |url=https://breathingroots.co.in/2020/10/10/mohun-bagan-villa-gone-but-not-forgotten/ |website=Breathing Roots |date=10 July 2021 |access-date=5 May 2022 |archive-date=3 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221003050014/https://breathingroots.co.in/2020/10/10/mohun-bagan-villa-gone-but-not-forgotten/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="part1">{{cite web |last1=Sengupta |first1=Somnath |title=History Of Mohun Bagan (Part 1): The Success That Changed Indian Football |url=http://www.thehardtackle.com/2010/history-of-mohun-bagan-chapter-1-the-origin-and-the-success-that-changed-indian-football/ |website=The Hard Tackle |date=2 May 2010 |access-date=5 May 2022 |archive-date=25 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211025110131/http://www.thehardtackle.com/2010/history-of-mohun-bagan-chapter-1-the-origin-and-the-success-that-changed-indian-football/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 15 August 1889, after a meeting of three prominent aristocratic [[Bengalis|Bengali]] families of [[North Kolkata]] – the Mitra family, the Basu family, and the Sen family – presided over by [[Bhupendra Nath Bose|Bhupendra Nath Basu]] himself, ''Mohun Bagan Sporting Club'' was formed.<ref name="MB Villa"/><ref name="part1"/><ref name="hist">{{cite news |title=Mohun Bagan Football history by decade |work=Mohun Bagan Athletic Club |url=https://themohunbaganac.com/history-by-decade/ |url-status=live |access-date=27 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806224102/https://themohunbaganac.com/history-by-decade/ |archive-date=6 August 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://inscript.me/how-east-bengal-mohun-bagan-became-rival-history-of-west-bengal-club-football-by-ayan-bhattacharya-robibarer-royak|title=বাংলা ভাগের ক্ষত কিভাবে বিষিয়ে দিল মোহনবাগান আর ইস্টবেঙ্গলকে?|trans-title=How did the wound of the partition of Bengal poisoned both Mohun Bagan and East Bengal?|first1=Ayan|last1=Bhattacharya|archive-date=7 November 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231107163804/https://inscript.me/how-east-bengal-mohun-bagan-became-rival-history-of-west-bengal-club-football-by-ayan-bhattacharya-robibarer-royak|website=inscript.me|publisher=ইনস্ক্রিপ্ট বাংলা নিউজ|location=Kolkata|language=bn|date=10 September 2023|access-date=7 November 2023}}</ref> Bhupendra Nath Basu became the first president of the newly founded club and Jyotindra Nath Basu was the first secretary of it.<ref name="MB Villa" /><ref name="hist"/>

During the initial years, the meager ground inside the palace was used by the club for hosting matches, including their first match that was played against the team of [[Eden Hindu Hostel]] students, and lost 1–0.<ref name="MB Villa" /><ref name="beginning">{{cite web |title=The Beginning – 1889 to 1909 |url=http://www.mohunbaganclub.com/history/history-1889-1909/ |website=Mohun Bagan Club |access-date=5 May 2022 |archive-date=5 May 2015 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20150505103851/http://www.mohunbaganclub.com/history/history-1889-1909/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The club management hugely emphasized providing memberships to the youth and maintained a strict code of conduct with an avowed objective of producing excellent sportsmen and imbuing them with impeccable moral and social values.<ref name="MB Villa"/>

At the first-anniversary assembly, the [[Presidency University, Kolkata|Presidency College]] students and members of the club invited their professor, [[F. J. Rowe]], to attend. Rowe pointed out the inappropriate naming of the club and suggested replacing ''"Sporting"'' with ''"Athletic"'' since the club didn't indulge in sporting activities, like [[angling]] or [[Shooting sports|rifle shooting]].<ref name="beginning"/> Thus, the members agreed and renamed the club as ''Mohun Bagan Athletic Club''.<ref name="part1"/><ref name="beginning"/><ref name="MB Villa"/>

The second-anniversary assembly was presided by Sir Thomas Holland, who later became a member of the Executive Council of [[Governor-General of India]]. In 1891, with the help of the [[Maharaja]] Durga Charan Laha of [[Shyampukur]], the club ground was relocated within his residential estate, now known as Laha Colony.<ref name="beginning"/> The club ground was later relocated to Shyam Square in [[Bagbazar]], with the help of the [[Kolkata Municipal Corporation]] chairman, Henry Lee.<ref name="beginning"/> In 1900, Mohun Bagan became the partner of Presidency College and shared their ground at [[Maidan (Kolkata)|Maidan]], where they would continue to play for 15 years.<ref name="beginning"/> 

Mohun Bagan have a fierce rivalry with [[East Bengal Club|East Bengal]], which is mainly focused on the century old footballing rivalry of the two clubs and they play the [[Kolkata Derby]] which is referred to as 'Boro Match' (Big Match) in Kolkata. However, cricket and hockey matches between Mohun Bagan and East Bengal have also witnessed some fierce contests, significant crowds and clashes among the supporters of the two clubs. Mohun Bagan also have a rivalry with [[Mohammedan SC (Kolkata)|Mohammedan]], with whom they play the 'Mini Derby' and is also mainly a footballing rivalry. 

== Structure ==
[[File:Chuni Goswami Gate of Mohun Bagan Athletic Club in right, and Gate of the Calcutta Football Club (CFC) of CC&FC, in Kolkata Maidan, West Bengal, India, photo taken on December 31, 2023.jpg|thumb|Newly built Chuni Goswami Gate of Mohun Bagan AC in December 2023.]]
Mohun Bagan is registered as a society under [[Societies Registration Act, 1860]] and [[West Bengal Societies Registration Act, 1961]].<ref name="beginning"/> Unlike many other top [[sports club]]s in the country which are [[Limited company|limited companies]], it is not possible to purchase shares in the club, but only membership. The registered members forms the ''Mohun Bagan Society'', which takes part in the general elections for the appointment for various posts.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Mullick|first=Sounak|date=29 October 2018|title=Mohun Bagan elections conducted peacefully, Tutu Bose's panel expecting a landslide victory|url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/mohun-bagan-elections-conducted-peacefully-tutu-bose-s-panel-expecting-a-landslide-victory|access-date=13 February 2021|website=Sportskeeda|archive-date=25 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220325021725/https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/mohun-bagan-elections-conducted-peacefully-tutu-bose-s-panel-expecting-a-landslide-victory|url-status=live}}</ref> The club is governed by its own "''[[constitution]]''". [[Amendment]]s and resolutions are passed via [[annual general meeting]]s.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Mohun Bagan Fans To Hold Protest Ahead Of Annual Members' Meeting {{!}} The Fan Garage (TFG)|url=https://thefangarage.com/articles/17891-mohun-bagan-fans-to-hold-protest-ahead-of-annual-members-meeting|access-date=2021-02-13|website=thefangarage.com| date=12 February 2021 |language=en|archive-date=12 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210212081112/https://thefangarage.com/articles/17891-mohun-bagan-fans-to-hold-protest-ahead-of-annual-members-meeting|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Management ==
{|class="wikitable" "margin-left:1em;float:center"
|-
!style="background:#1A5026; color:white; text-align:center;"|Office
!style="background:#7A1024; color:white; text-align:center;"|Name
|-
|President
|Debasish Dutta
|-
| rowspan="5"|Vice president 
|Shoumik Bose
|-
|Manash Kumar Bhattacharya
|-
|Uttam Kumar Saha
|-
|Kunal Ghosh
|-
|Debasis Mitra
|-
|General Secretary
|Srinjoy Bose
|-
|Assistant General Secretary
|Satyajit Chatterjee
|-
|Finance Secretary
|Surajit Basu
|-
|Planning & Development Secretary
|Ranjan Basu
|-
|Football Secretary
|Swapan Banerjee
|-
|Youth Football Secretary
|Shilton Paul
|-
|Cricket Secretary
|Samrat Bhowmick
|-
|Hockey Secretary
|Shyamal Mitra
|-
|Tennis Secretary 
|Sidhartha Roy
|-
|Athletics Secretary
|Pintu Biswas
|- 
|Treasurer
|Sandipan Banerjee
|-
| rowspan="11"|Executive Members
|Someswar Bagui
|-
|Anupam Sahoo
|-
|Debaprasad Mukherjee
|-
|Debajyoti Basu
|-
|Kashi Nath Das
|-
|Mukul Sinha
|-
|Parthajit Das
|-
|Ranjan Bosu
|-
|Sanjoy Majumder
|-
|Sohini Mitra Chaubey
|-
|Sudipta Ghosh
|-
|rowspan="3"|Co-Operative Executive Members
|Debashis Roy
|-
|Arijit Banerjee
|-
|Sanjoy Ghosh

{{Fb cs footer|s=[https://www.themohunbaganac.com/management/ Mohun Bagan Athletic Club]|u=16 June 2025|date=June 2025}}

== Departments ==
=== Football ===
{{Main|Mohun Bagan Super Giant}}
The Mohun Bagan football team is the most distinguished and revered department of this club. It was the original department with which the club was founded in 1889. The team plays its home matches mostly at the [[Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan]] and also at the [[Mohun Bagan Ground]]. It competes in the [[Indian Super League]], the top tier of [[Indian football league system]]. The team is most notable for its victory over the [[East Yorkshire Regiment]] in the 1911 [[IFA Shield]] final. It is the most successful team in the country. In its 130th year of existence, the team was inducted into the "[[Club of Pioneers]]", a network of the oldest existing football clubs around the world, on 29 July 2019.<ref name="khelnow.com">{{Cite web|date=2019-05-17|title=How will Mohun Bagan benefit from their inclusion in the Club of Pioneers?|url=https://khelnow.com/football/i-league-2019-20-mohun-bagan-club-of-pioneers-benefits/|access-date=2021-01-02|website=Khel Now|language=en-US|archive-date=29 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211029110707/https://khelnow.com/football/i-league-2019-20-mohun-bagan-club-of-pioneers-benefits|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Cricket ===
{{Main|Mohun Bagan AC (cricket)}}
The Mohun Bagan cricket team participates in various tournaments for varying age groups conducted by the [[Cricket Association of Bengal]]. Currently, it participates in the CAB First Division League, CAB Senior Knockout, CAB Super League, and JC Mukherjee Trophy.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sangbadpratidin.in/cricket/after-cab-league-cab-one-day-bhawanipore-club-wins-jc-mukherjee-trophy-and-crown-treble|title=ত্রিমুকুট জয় ভবানীপুরের, সিএবি লিগ, প্রথম ডিভিশন ওয়ানডে খেতাবের পরে জেসি মুখার্জিতেও চ্যাম্পিয়ন|first1=Alapan|last1=Saha|website=sangbadpratidin.in|publisher=Sangbad Pratidin|location=Kolkata|date=1 July 2024|access-date=2 July 2024|trans-title=JC Mukherjee also champions after Trimukut Jai Bhavanipur, CAB League, First Division ODI title|language=bn|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240702101845/https://www.sangbadpratidin.in/sports/cricket/after-cab-league-cab-one-day-bhawanipore-club-wins-jc-mukherjee-trophy-and-crown-treble/|archive-date=2 July 2024}}</ref> The team plays its home matches mostly at the [[Eden Gardens]] and also at the [[Jadavpur University Campus Ground]]. They have won over 100 major state-level trophies so far.<ref name="Trophies">{{cite web|url=https://www.themohunbaganac.com/tropy-room/|title=Trophy room|publisher=themohunbaganac.com|accessdate=16 September 2019|archive-date=26 October 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221026183228/https://www.themohunbaganac.com/tropy-room/|url-status=live}}</ref> In past many big names like [[Sourav Ganguly]], [[Sachin Tendulkar]], [[Virat Kohli]], [[MS Dhoni]] and even [[Sri Lanka Cricket|Sri Lankan]] player [[Chaminda Vaas]] had played for the club.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.dnaindia.com/cricket/report-flashback-when-virat-kohli-appeared-for-mohun-bagan-9-years-ago-2628628/amp|title=When Virat Kohli appeared for Mohun Bagan in 2009|work=DNA India|access-date=20 November 2020|date=24 June 2018|archive-date=28 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201128152640/https://www.dnaindia.com/cricket/report-flashback-when-virat-kohli-appeared-for-mohun-bagan-9-years-ago-2628628/amp|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Hockey ===
{{Main|Mohun Bagan AC (field hockey)}}
The Mohun Bagan hockey team participates in various tournaments for varying age groups conducted by the Hockey Bengal. The team plays its home matches mostly at the SAI Sports Complex of [[Salt Lake Stadium]] and also at the [[Mohun Bagan Ground]]. The club participates in the [[Calcutta Hockey League]] and the [[Beighton Cup]]. The team have won 41 major state titles which includes 25 CHL and 14 Beighton Cup titles.<ref name="Trophies"/><ref>{{Cite web|title=Teams with Most Wins in Prestigious Beighton Cup|url=https://hockeypassion.in/hockey-perspectives/teams-with-most-wins-in-prestigious-beighton-cup/|date=2 November 2022|access-date=3 November 2022|publisher=Hockey Passion|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221102200248/https://hockeypassion.in/hockey-perspectives/teams-with-most-wins-in-prestigious-beighton-cup/|archive-date=2 November 2022|website=hockeypassion.in}}</ref>

=== Athletics ===
Mohun Bagan has an [[Sport of athletics|athletics]] team, which is affiliated with the West Bengal Athletic Association, and participates in various tournaments of West Bengal.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.etvbharat.com/bengali/west-bengal/sports/other-sports/mohun-bagan-becomes-champion-in-state-athletics-meet/wb20230817080832614614566 | title = 27 বছর পরে রাজ্য অ্যাথলেটিক্স মিটে চ্যাম্পিয়ন মোহনবাগান | publisher = Etv Bharat | access-date = 17 August 2023 | archive-date = 8 October 2023 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20231008185626/https://www.etvbharat.com/bengali/west-bengal/sports/other-sports/mohun-bagan-becomes-champion-in-state-athletics-meet/wb20230817080832614614566 | url-status = live }}</ref> The club also organizes Annual Athletic meets at the club ground.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.anandabazar.com/sports/130th-annual-athletics-meet-of-mohun-bagan-was-observed-with-great-grandeur-dgtl-1.1099904 | title = বার্ষিক অ্যাথলেটিক্স মিটে বাগানে উৎসবের আমেজ | publisher = Anandabazar Patrika | access-date = 24 January 2020 | archive-date = 9 July 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210709185309/https://www.anandabazar.com/sports/130th-annual-athletics-meet-of-mohun-bagan-was-observed-with-great-grandeur-dgtl-1.1099904 | url-status = live }}</ref>

=== eSports ===
Mohun Bagan also took part in the inaugural season of [https://www.e-isl.in/ e-ISL] where the ISL teams competed to play the video game [[FIFA 22]].

== Club awards ==
{{Main|Mohun Bagan AC season awards}}
Since 2001, 29 July is celebrated as ''Mohun Bagan Day'' in honor of the club's victory over East Yorkshire Regiment in the 1911 IFA Shield Final. To commemorate the day, the club organises an award distribution ceremony along with various festivities. ''Mohun Bagan Ratna'' is an award presented each year on ''Mohun Bagan Day'' to outstanding former players, irrespective of the sports played. The first recipient was former footballer [[Sailen Manna]]. Apart from the ''Mohun Bagan Ratna'', other awards are also presented which often differ in categories each year, except for an award for the best footballer and cricketer of the season which were presented for most of the years.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2001-07-29 |title=Manna conferred Mohun Bagan Ratna Award |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/manna-conferred-mohun-bagan-ratna-award/articleshow/130001176.cms?from=mdr |access-date=2023-07-30 |issn=0971-8257 |archive-date=18 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221018132431/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/manna-conferred-mohun-bagan-ratna-award/articleshow/130001176.cms?from=mdr |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Honours ==
* [[Banga Bibhushan]]: 2022 (the highest civilian honour in [[West Bengal]] given by the [[Government of West Bengal]])<ref>{{cite web |title=Proud Moment! |url=https://twitter.com/Mohun_Bagan/status/1550461894678708225 |website=Twitter |access-date=22 June 2022 |archive-date=22 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220722124545/https://twitter.com/Mohun_Bagan/status/1550461894678708225 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/3-iconic-city-football-clubs-to-receive-banga-bibhushan-486861|title=3 iconic city football clubs to receive Banga Bibhushan|website=www.millenniumpost.in|publisher=Millennium Post|location=Kolkata, West Bengal|date=22 July 2022|access-date=24 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220724070753/http://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/3-iconic-city-football-clubs-to-receive-banga-bibhushan-486861|archive-date=24 July 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.news9live.com/sports/football/not-clubs-but-institutions-mohun-bagan-east-bengal-mohammedan-receive-banga-bibhushan-award-from-west-bengal-cm-mamata-banerjee-from-bengal-govt-184984|title='Not clubs but institutions': Mohun Bagan, East Bengal, Mohammedan receive Banga Bibhushan award|website=www.news9live.com|publisher=News Nine|location=Kolkata, West Bengal|first=Sayan|last=Mukherjee|date=25 July 2022|access-date=25 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220725162640/https://www.news9live.com/sports/football/not-clubs-but-institutions-mohun-bagan-east-bengal-mohammedan-receive-banga-bibhushan-award-from-west-bengal-cm-mamata-banerjee-from-bengal-govt-184984|archive-date=25 July 2022}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Mohun Bagan Super Giant]]
* [[Mohun Bagan AC (cricket)]]
* [[Mohun Bagan AC (field hockey)]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
*{{Official website|https://www.themohunbaganac.com/}}

{{Mohun Bagan AC}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Mohun Bagan AC| ]]
[[Category:Multi-sport clubs in India]]
[[Category:1889 establishments in British India]]
[[Category:Sports clubs and teams in Kolkata]]