Prasun Banerjee

Prasun Banerjee is an Indian former professional footballer and politician who is serving as an MP in the Lok Sabha from Howrah. He is an Arjuna Award winner (1979). Younger brother of the Pradip Kumar Banerjee, Prasun had also captained the India national football team in international tournaments.

Playing career
He was vice-captain of the India U-20 team that clinched 1974 AFC Youth Championship title in Thailand.

Banerjee began his club football career with Calcutta Football League club Kidderpore. He also played for Aryans. He was included in the All Time Best-XI team of Mohun Bagan as a central defensive midfielder. He was only the second Indian to play for Asian All-star XI. He also played two matches against Brazil for Asian All-star XI and played against Zico, Eder, Falcao, Socretes and others. He was included in the Limca book of record for representing India in 100 football matches.

In 2013, he won the bypoll to the Howrah Sadar parliamentary constituency on a Trinamool Congress ticket thus becoming the first professional footballer to be a Member of Parliament, India (Lok Sabha). He won the seat defeating his adversary, Left Front's Sridip Bhattacharya, by more than 27,000 votes. He was re-elected to the 16th Lok Sabha in 2014.

Early life
Prasun is the younger brother of India's player of the 20th century and former national coach, P. K. Banerjee. He is a graduate of the University of Calcutta.

Controversy
In 2015, Banerjee was charged for slapping a Kolkata traffic constable. The constable, identified as Taragati Biswas, had reportedly stopped Banerjee's vehicle while it violated the 'no U-turn' rule.

India national team
Debut: 26 July 1974 vs Malaysia, in Merdeka Cup at Kuala Lumpur (Prasun Banerjee came in as a substitute for Gautam Sarkar).

No of Matches Played – 49

No of Matches played as a captain – 5

Goals Scored – 3

International tournaments
Asian Games – 1974, 1978, 1982.

Merdeka Cup (Kuala Lumpur) – 1974, 1981, 1982.

Pre Olympics – 1980 (Captain).

Nehru Cup – 1982.

Kings Cup (Bangkok) – 1977, 1981.

Presidents Cup (Seoul) – 1982.

Aga Khan Gold Cup (Dhaka) – 1977.

Other Achievements
Prasun Banerjee was the Joint Captain of the Indian Youth Team along with Sabbir Ali which became Joint Champions with Iran in Asian Youth Soccer Tournament at Bangkok.

Bengal
Santosh Trophy – 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979 (Captain), 1982.

Goals Scored – 3

Championships Won – 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979 (Captain) and 1982 (Joint) – 6 times

Clubs
Goals Scored – 24 goals (CFL – 14, Bordoloi Trophy – 4, IFA Shield – 1, Durand Cup – 1, Rovers Cup – 1, Federation Cup −2, Darjeeling Gold Cup – 1).
 * Mohun Bagan – 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978 (Captain), 1979, 1980, 1982, 1983.

Trophies Won -

Calcutta Football League (4) – 1976, 1978, 1979, 1983.

IFA Shield (5) – 1976 (Joint), 1977, 1978 (Joint), 1979, 1982.

Durand Cup (5) – 1974, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1982 (Joint).

Rovers Cup (2) – 1976, 1977.

Federation Cup (3) – 1978 (Joint), 1980 (Joint), 1982.

Bordoloi Trophy (4) – 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977.

Darjeeling Gold Cup (4) – 1975, 1976 (Joint), 1979, 1982.

Nagjee Trophy (1) – 1978.

Total – 28.

Goals Scored – 4 (CFL – 1, Federation Cup – 2, Sanjay Gandhi Gold Cup – 1).
 * Mohammedan Sporting – 1981, 1984, 1985

Trophies Won -

Calcutta Football League – 1981.

Federation Cup – 1984.

Sanjay Gandhi Gold Cup – 1981.

Stafford Cup – 1981 (Joint).

Nizam Gold Cup – 1984.

Nagjee Trophy – 1984.

Rovers Cup – 1984.

Darjeeling Gold Cup – 1984.

Bordoloi Trophy – 1985

Total – 9

Coaching
Prasun Banerjee has also coached Mohun Bagan for two months in the 1990–91 season.

Honours
India
 * King's Cup third place: 1977

India U20
 * AFC Asian U-19 Championship: 1974

Individual
 * Arjuna Award: 1979
 * Shaan-e-Mohammedan: 2016