Indian football legend PK Banerjee passes away

Kolkata - I was fortunate to play under Banerjee: Bhutia

Legendary footballer PK Banerjee died on Friday at a city hospital after battling a chest infection for a long time, family sources said. He was 83.
He was on ventilator support in the intensive care unit of Medica Superspecialty Hospital for more than two weeks. Banerjee, who was admitted in the hospital on March 2, breathed his last at 12:40pm, according to a family member.
A two-time Olympian and the only surviving goal-scorer of India's 1962 Asian Games gold medal winning team, Banerjee is survived by two daughters -- Paula and Pixie.
The Asian Games gold medallist was suffering from sepsis and multi-organ failure due to pneumonia on a background of Parkinson's disease, dementia and heart ailments.
Meanwhile, Calling him a 'father figure', former India captain Bhaichung Bhutia on Friday said he played one his best matches under the coaching of PK Banerjee who breathed his last in Kolkata.
It was the 1997 Federation Cup semifinal where Banerjee's East Bengal hammered Mohun Bagan 4-1 in front of 1,31,000 spectators. The iconic Bhutia netted a hat trick.
"He was a great human being. A very happy soul and a father figure to me," Bhutia told IANS.
"I was fortunate to play one of my greatest matches under him. It is a big loss to Indian football. He is one of the greatest footballers and coaches India has ever seen," said Bhutia.
Banerjee died at a city hospital after battling a chest infection for a long time. He was 83.
A two-time Olympian and the only surviving goal-scorer of India's 1962 Asian Games gold medal winning team, Banerjee, the Asian Games gold medallist, was suffering from sepsis and multi-organ failure due to pneumonia on a background of Parkinson's disease, dementia and heart ailments.