Kalighat MS

Formation and journey

Kalighat Milan Sangha was founded in 1944, in Kalighat, Kolkata, as a cultural association club and has since grown step by step from district to state and national level outfit. The club is continuation of Kalighat Club, formed long ago, that left Indian Football Association in 1939 with Mohammedan and East Bengal to form BFA, but rejoined later. In 1966, the club started its football team through competing in Allen League under license from Indian Football Association (IFA). The club qualified to the first division of the Calcutta Football League for the first time in 1989.

Present years

They secured a place in the Calcutta Premier Division for the first time in 2009. Winning the 2011 edition of the All Airlines Gold Cup was the club's biggest achievement.

In January 2012, it was officially certified by the All India Football Federation to participate in the I-League 2nd Division, and reached to the final round. They also participated in the 2013 I-League 2nd Division. In 2014 Sikkim Gold Cup, Kalighat Milan Sangha reached the semi-final but lost 1–0 to Manang Marshyangdi of Nepal at the end. They also participated in the 2014 I-League 2nd Division and moved to the final round, finishing third with 14 points in 8 matches. Later in 2018, the club reached semi-finals of Darjeeling Gold Cup. They participated in 2020 IFA Shield, reaching the quarter-finals.

Besides football, the club has joined the fight against COVID-19 pandemic in West Bengal from May 2021 by providing free vaccinations to people. In July 2022, they participated in Naihati Gold Cup. After its relegation to the Premier Division B in 2021, Kalighat MS gained its promotion to Premier Division A after winning the 2022 season.

In June 2023, the Indian Football Association (IFA) announced merger of both the Premier Division A and B of the Calcutta Football League, ahead of its 125th edition, in which Kalighat MS was allowed to compete in Group I.