Goa’s solitary recipient of the Arjuna Award, Brahmanand Shakhwalkar is an embodiment of sportsmanship. He was born on March 6, 1954 in Taleigao near Panjim. He began playing premier division football at the young age of 15 for the Panvel Club.

Brahamanand Shakhwalkar played for Goa for 17 years. Under his leadership, Goa won the coveted Santosh Trophy for the first time in 1983 and again in 1984.

These years were most memorable for him as he had the distinction of not conceding a single goal during the entire tournament. In 1975, he became the goalkeeper of the Indian team during the 17th Asian Youth Championship at Kuwait.

He was a member of the senior Indian football team from 1976 till 1980 and captain from 1983 to 1986. All India Football Federation declared him the ‘Player of the Decade 1985 -1993’. He is only the second Indian football player to have represented India in more than 50 international games. In 1977, the Government of Goa conferred on him the Jivdadada Kerkar Award.