Football fraternity mourns Samar Banerjee's death

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Bengaluru, August 20: Football fraternity has mourned the demise of India's former captain and Olympian Samar Banerjee (known popularly as Samar 'Badru' Banerjee).

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.