Kolkata: Former India football captain Samar Banerjee passed away at the SSKM Hospital in the wee hours on Saturday. He was 92. Popularly known as Badru in the football fraternity, he was suffering from age-related ailments for quite some time.
Banerjee led the Indian team in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics in which India finished a remarkable fourth. He was admitted to the state-owned SSKM Hospital on July 27. Banerjee played for the erstwhile Mohun Bagan club (now known as ATK Mohun Bagan) for seven years.
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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday expressed deep anguish over the death of former India football team captain Samar 'Badru' Banerjee. Born on January 30, 1930, in the Bally area of Howrah disrict, Banerjee started playing at a local football club at the age of 18. Then in 1949, he joined the BNR football club.
After a three-year stint at BNR, Banerjee joined the Mohun Bagan club in 1949 and quickly cemented his place in the playing eleven. His ability to score goals resulted in him being inducted into the national team. It was under his captaincy India finished at the fourth spot in the Melbourne Olympics in 1956.
Expressing his anguish over the demise of Samar Banerjee, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata consoled his death. "Anguished by the demise of Samar Banerjee, renowned footballer and excellent sportsman. GoWB awarded him with the 'Lifetime Achievement Award' in 2016-17. I offer my deepest condolences to his family and fans. He will continue to serve as an inspiration for many," the Chief Minister tweeted.
