The All India Football Federation (AIFF) condoled the death of former India captain Samar 'Badru' Banerjee, who passed away earlier on Saturday in Kolkata.
Popularly known as Badru Banerjee among his teammates and fans, the former India forward had captained the National Team to a fourth-place finish in the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games, which also included a famous 4-2 victory against hosts Australia in the quarterfinals. Banerjee played a total of nine matches for the Blue Tigers, and scored three goals for the country.
"It is sad to hear that Badru-da, one of India's greatest footballers, is no more. His contribution to Indian football will never be forgotten. I share the grief," said AIFF Acting General Secretary Sunando Dhar.
"He will stay synonymous with the golden generation of Indian football. Badru-da, you will remain alive in our hearts. Badru da will be alive in his achievements. He was a legendary footballer and someone who has been an inspiration to so many generations. May he rest in peace," he added.
As a mark of respect, a one-minute silence will be observed in the Durand Cup matches in Imphal and Kolkata today.
At the domestic level, Banerjee had won the Santosh Trophy with Bengal in 1953, and also captained the state in 1956. Being a legend at Kolkata giants Mohun Bagan, Badru Banerjee played for the Green and Maroons between 1952 and 1960, and scored a total of 78 goals for the club, winning five Calcutta Football League titles (1954, 1955, 1956, 1959, 1960), three IFA Shields (1954, 1956, 1959), three Durand Cups (1953, 1959, 1960), one Rovers Cup (1955), and much more.
( With inputs from ANI )
Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor
