Michael Ferreira, Billiards Player
Billiards Player

Michael Ferreira

Born 1 October 1938 · Maharashtra

Winning the World Amateur Billiards Championship three times, starting in 1977.

Michael Ferreira, nicknamed "the Bombay Tiger", is an Indian amateur player of English billiards, and a three-time Amateur World Champion. He participated in the Indian National Billiards Championship in 1960 for the first time, and in 1964 represented India in the World Amateur Billiards Championship (WABC) held in New Zealand, where he progressed to the semi-finals. In 1977, he won his first World Amateur Billiards Champion title and followed it up with the World Open Billiards Championship title in the same year. He has two other WABC titles.

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A detail that
surprised us

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In 1978, Ferreira set an amateur world record by scoring 1,149 points in an Indian national billiards championship, breaking the 1,000-point barrier for the first time.

The Story

1
In 1960, Michael Ferreira made his debut at the Indian National Billiards Championship, marking the start of a career that would soon bring India to the world billiards stage.
2
🌏 In 1964, representing India at the World Amateur Billiards Championship in New Zealand, Ferreira advanced to the semi-finals, a rare feat for an Indian player at the time.
3🏆 The year 1977 saw Ferreira clinching his first World Amateur Billiards Championship title and astonishingly also winning the World Open Billiards Championship, both in the same year.
4In 1978, Ferreira became the first amateur to surpass 1,000 points during the national championships by scoring an unprecedented 1,149 points, setting a new amateur world record.

🏅 Awards & Honours

1981
Padma Shri
1983
Padma Bhushan

🔍 One thing most people don't know

“

In 1978, Ferreira was the first amateur billiards player to break the 1,000-point barrier in national championships, scoring 1,149 points and setting a new world amateur record.

📸 Through the Years

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🗓️ A Life in Moments

🕊️
Birth
Birth in Bombay
Michael Ferreira was born in Bombay (now Mumbai), Maharashtra, laying the foundation for a future billiards legend.
1938
⚡
Career
First Indian National Billiards Championship
Ferreira participated for the first time, marking his entry into competitive billiards at the national level.
1960
⚡
Career
World Amateur Billiards Semi-finalist
Represented India in New Zealand and reached the semi-finals of the World Amateur Billiards Championship.
1964
⚡
Career
First World Amateur Champion
Won the World Amateur Billiards Championship and the World Open Billiards Championship in the same year.
1977
🌟
Other
Amateur World Record
Broke the 1,000-point barrier with a score of 1,149 points in the national championships, setting a new amateur world record.
1978
🏅
Award
Awarded Padma Shri (refused)
Received the Padma Shri but refused it, demanding recognition equal to cricketer Sunil Gavaskar’s Padma Bhushan.
1981
🏅
Award
Awarded Padma Bhushan
Received the Padma Bhushan after his third world amateur billiards title, a rare honor for a cue sports player.
1983
🏅
Award
Dronacharya Award for Coaching
Honored with the Dronacharya Award in recognition of his coaching contributions in billiards and snooker.
2001
🌟
Other
Arrest in Qnet Scam
Ferreira was arrested by Mumbai Police’s Economic Offences Wing in connection with the Qnet investment controversy and later granted bail.
2016
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🗝️Discoveries

Swipe to uncover hidden stories
01 / 05
👤PERSONAL

Despite winning the Padma Shri in 1981, Ferreira refused the award, insisting he deserved the Padma Bhushan as his contemporary, cricketer Sunil Gavaskar, had received.

02 / 05
🏆ACHIEVEMENT

Michael Ferreira is the first billiards player to be awarded the Padma Bhushan, which he received in 1983 after his third World Amateur Billiards Championship title.

03 / 05
🏆ACHIEVEMENT

In 1964, Ferreira advanced to the semi-finals of the World Amateur Billiards Championship held in New Zealand, an early indication of his international calibre.

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🎙️ Speeches & Recordings

These recordings preserve the legacy of Bharat's icons
QNet case: EOW grills World Billiards Champion Michael Ferreira for 2 hrs

🌱 What changed because of them

Michael Ferreira's multiple world amateur titles and record-breaking scores elevated English billiards' profile in India, inspiring the establishment of more structured coaching and competitive frameworks. His receipt of the Padma Bhushan brought unprecedented civilian recognition to cue sports, contributing to increased governmental and institutional support for billiards and snooker in India. As a coach honored with the Dronacharya Award in 2001, he influenced a generation of players, fostering India's continued presence in international billiards.

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