The
92-year-old,
who
led
India
to
a
historic
fourth-place
finish
in
the
1956
Melbourne
Olympics,
died
in
Kolkata
in
the
wee
hours
of
Saturday
after
a
prolonged
illness.
Banerjee
is
survived
by
his
daughter-in-law.
Fondly
known
as
Badru
Da,
he
was
suffering
from
Alzheimer,
Azotemia
and
high-blood
pressure
related
ailments,
and
was
admitted
at
the
MR
Bangur
Hospital
after
testing
positive
for
COVID-19
on
July
27.
“As
his
health
deteriorated
he
was
shifted
to
the
state-run
SSKM
Hospital
under
the
supervision
of
state
sports
minister
Arup
Biswas.
He
breathed
his
last
around
2.10am,”
Mohun
Bagan
secretary
Debasish
Dutta
told
PTI
news
agency.
“He
was
our
beloved
‘Badru
Da’ and
we
had
bestowed
him
with
the
Mohun
Bagan
Ratna
in
2009.
It’s
another
big
loss
for
the
Maidan,”
he
added
in
his
condolence
message.
His
body
was
brought
to
the
club
as
the
members
and
fans
paid
their
last
respects.
For
the
records,
the
Indian
football
teams
have
participated
in
three
Olympics
so
far
and
till
date,
the
performance
by
the
Banerjee-led
1956
side
remains
the
best,
when
it
finished
fourth
after
losing
to
Bulgaria
0-3
in
the
bronze
medal
play-off,
in
what
was
known
as
the
‘golden
era’ of
football
in
the
country.
Having
got
a
walkover
in
the
first
round,
the
Syed
Abdul
Rahim-coached
side
that
also
had
the
likes
of
PK
Banerjee,
Neville
D’Souza
and
J
‘Kittu’
Krishnaswamy,
defeated
Australia
4-2.
D’Souza
struck
a
hat-trick
in
their
glorious
win.
But
the
team
failed
to
make
the
final,
going
down
1-4
to
Yugoslavia
in
the
last-four
stage.
As
a
mark
of
respect,
a
one-minute
silence
was
be
observed
in
the
Durand
Cup
matches
in
Imphal
and
Kolkata
on
Saturday.
Besides
guiding
Mohun
Bagan
to
several
trophies
including
their
first
ever
Durand
Cup
(1953),
Rovers
Cup
(1955),
Banerjee
has
also
won
the
Santosh
Trophy
twice
as
a
player
(1953,
1955)
and
once
as
coach
(1962).
He
also
served
India
as
selector.
His
demise
comes
at
a
time
when
Indian
football
is
facing
an
identity
crisis
after
the
All
India
Football
Federation
(AIFF)
was
banned
by
the
game’s
global
governing
body
—
FIFA.
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