[3] One of the most famous Nagas, he was a figurehead of India's football history, and his name is resonant in the collective memory of the people.

Ao told his son that in this Durand Cup (1950) the Mohun Bagan goalkeeper was injured and that he took over in his place.

Ao famously rejected a one-year contract from the club, choosing to continue with his studies; a decision which he never regretted in his later years.

[19][20][21][22] He led the team at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London,[23][24][25] in their first official game and was flag-bearer of the Indian contingent.

In India's second match against France, he played alongside Sailen Manna[28][29] and Sheoo Mewalal,[30][31] but the team lost 2–1,[32][33][34] with the Indian goal coming from Sarangapani Raman.

Under his captaincy, bare feet Indian players' bravery earned admiration of Princess Margaret of England.

[12] He also went on to play few friendly matches in their Nederlands tour, where they went down to Sparta Rotterdam, but managed to win against Ajax Amsterdam.

[51] In 2009, Union Minister for Mines, Bijoy Krishna Handique, inaugurated the first Dr. Talimeren Ao Football Trophy at the DDSC Stadium in Dimapur, Nagaland, to encourage and challenge the North-East Youth to excel in both sports and academics.

In 2012, Government of Nagaland instituted Dr. T. Ao Awards in memory of him, and Naga archer Chekrovolü Swüro became the first one to receive it.

[52][53] In January 2018, a year-long celebration of the 100th birth anniversary of Ao was inaugurated at the Raj Bhavan in Kohima by the Nagaland Governor Padmanabha Acharya.