Hyderabad, Nov. 19 -- In football, the goalkeeper is the base on which the team stands. No team can succeed if the goalkeeper is weak. And many of India's outstanding performancesin the 1950s and 1960s were due to the rock like goalkeeperPeter Thangaraj of Secunderabad.Thangaraj was perhaps the best goalkeeper India has ever had. Heplayed for India at the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne whereIndia came fourth. It was India's best ever performanceat any Olympic Games. Later Thangaraj also representedIndia at the 1960 Olympicsin Rome.He was adjudged Asia's best goalkeeper in 1958 and the government of India honoured him with the Arjuna Award in 1967.

Born in a large family of brothers and sisters in Secunderabad, Thangaraj was a naturally ...