Pradip Kumar Banerjee – the Great Indian Footballer and Football Coach

Complete information on Pradip Kumar Banerjee is posted in this article. Pradip Kumar Banerjee as a footballer and as a coach, both are successful.

Pradip Kumar Banerjee, more popular as PK is a glamorous character in Indian football.  Pradip Kumar Banerjee as right winger and PK as football coach, both are equaled successful.

Brief profile of Indian footballer Pradip Kumar Banerjee

Date of birth of Pradip Banerjee: 23 June 1936

Birth place: Jalpaiguri, West Bengal

Spouse: Late Arati Banerjee, she was associated with sports

Brother: Noted footballer of 70’s-80’s, Prasun Banerjee

Daughters: Two daughters

Pradip Banerjee – PK as footballer

Pradip Kumar Banerjee – PK was a perfect right winger in his time. He played in club football for eastern railway team most of the years as he was an employee of eastern railway. PK had the tremendous ability to score from the wings and he used to penetrate into the defence of opponent team from the right wing. In 1956, PK  represented Indian football team in the Melbourne Olympic Games and in Rome Olympic Games in 1960, Pradip Kumar Banerjee was the caption of Indian football team. In foreign grounds,  performance of Pradip Banerjee as a player was very good.

PK Banerjee as a football coach

After retirement from football as player, PK Banerjee and Chuni Goswami, another all time famous Indian footballer completed coaching course. Pradip Banerjee started club coaching and from that time he became popular as PK. PK coached East Bengal team during the first half of 70’s and that time is still considered as golden time of East Bengal football. During that period East Bengal team listed most of the national football trophies used to beat their arch rival Mohun Bagan team repeatadely. Afterwards PK joined Mohun Bagan as coach and the same history as East Bengal was repeated in Mohun Bagan. In 1975, Cosmos team came to Kolkata for an exhibition match with Mohun Bagan. Great Pele was in Cosmos team. The match ended in draw and both the teams scored 2 goals each. It was simply PK’s stragedy which restricted Pele on the ground and Pele himself admitted it after the match. During PK’s coaching life, vocal tonic of PK was a popular term used on fields. PK used to motivate his boys with his speeches.

Awards received by Pradip Kumar Banerjee

Pradip Kumar Banerjee achieved the title “the player of the Millennium” in 2005, awarded by FIFA in 2005.  Pradip Kumar Banerjee received Arjuna Award in 1961 and Padma Shri Award in 1990.