![]() Early Life of Sanju Pradhan Sanju Pradhan was born on 15th August in the year 1989 in West Sikkim Area, Sikkim. Sanju Pradhan was born to D.B. Pradhan and Sarda Pradhan in the village of Sombaria which is located in the West Sikkim district of the Indian state of Sikkim. Career of Sanju Pradhan Sanju Pradhan gained a liking to football at a young age through watching people in his village play the game in their free time. During his childhood years, Sanju Pradhan had to play at the school level but because his school did not have a team he had to play for other teams. Sanju Pradhan has won all the major domestic tournaments available in India besides the I-League while playing for East Bengal. He has won 2 Federation Cups in 2009 to 2010 and 2012 while he also has won 1 Indian Super Cup with the club in the year 2011. Sanju Pradhan then attended the trials for the "The Search for more Bhaichungs Scheme" at the West Sikkim district headquarters. After impressing, Sanju Pradhan was selected to attend the state wide trials for the program in Gangtok where he passed as well and was one of 30 boys selected from the trial. In April 1999, the boys were sent to the Namchi Sports Hostel Football Academy where they participated in the Subroto Cup every year. Sanju Pradhan was also selected by the Sikkim football team at junior level. In the year 2006, Sanju Pradhan joined the Sports Academy of Sikkim after he and the other boys were sent there. That same year Sanju Pradhan, along with team-mate Nirmal Chettri, was invited for a trial with Prayag United S.C. of Kolkata but neither player passed the trial. Then in October 2006, after a great performance in the All India Governors Gold Cup Football Tournament for the Sports Academy of Sikkim, Sanju Pradhan was scouted by then Air India FC coach Bimal Ghosh and was offered a chance to join the current I-League team. After going through then Sports Minister, P.S. Golay, Sanju Pradhan signed with Air India football club. ![]() Sanju Pradhan signed for East Bengal Football Club who also plays in the I-League in 2008. Sanju Pradhan scored his first goal for the Red and Gold on 7th February 2009 against his old club now, Air India, in which he scored in the 81st to guarantee East Bengal a 3-1 victory over the Airmen. Sanju Pradhan then made his Asian international debut in the 2010 AFC Cup against Al-Ittihad of Syria on 10 March 2010 in which East Bengal lost 1-4. Sanju Pradhan then went on to score his second ever goal for East Bengal on 29th March 2010 against Salgaocar F.C. at the Fatorda Stadium which turned out to be East Bengal's only goal in another 1-4 loss. Sanju Pradhan then scored again on 23rd May 2010 against Churchill Brothers S.C in which East Bengal drew 2-2. Sanju Pradhan did not score again for East Bengal Football Club until 29 January 2011 in which he scored against Churchill Brothers in yet another 2-2 draw. Pradhan then scored probably his most memorable goal on 6th February 2011 in which he scored in the 8th minute from the penalty spot against historic rivals of East Bengal, Mohun Bagan A.C. at the Salt Lake Stadium in front of 60,000 fans which led East Bengal to a 1-1 draw. Then in 2011, Sanju Pradhan was made captain of East Bengal and soon he scored 2 goals in 2 matches for East Bengal; the first coming on 2 November 2011 against Mumbai F.C. and the second against Shillong Lajong F.C. on 6 November 2011. Sanju Pradhan then scored again for East Bengal football club on 30th April 2012 against Sporting Clube de Goa at the Salt Lake Stadium in which East Bengal won 3-0. In 2011 he was made club captain of Sporting Clube de Goa. Sanju Pradhan in I-League Sanju Pradhan then started the 2012-2013 I-League on a regular substitute but then he sustained an injury in November before returning with a bang on 30 December 2012 in which Sanju Pradhan started his first I-League match of the season and scored his first brace of the season as East Bengal Football Team went out 3-0 winners over Pailan Arrows at the Kalyani Stadium. |