CALCUTTA (India): Former India international Ashok Chatterjee passed here on early Saturday morning. He was 78. He left his wife, son and granddaughter.
Chatterjee, who played alongside greats PK Banerjee, Jarnail Singh and Syed Nayeemuddin at the 1966 Asian Games, was born and brought up at Halder Para Lane in Howrah.
Chatterjee started playing for Swamiji Sangha in First Division of Howrah District Football in 1958. Though he started playing as left-inside, he switched to his pet position as a centre forward.
In 1960, he joined Mohun Bagan junior team and two years later he was signed to play for the senior team.
Chatterjee then represented India at the Merdeka tournament in 1965, 1966, (he scored two goals in the group league match that India won 3-0 against Japan), 1967 and 1968 respectively.
Due to his excellent form, he was chosen for the 1966 Asian Games.
In the domestic front, he played for Mohun Bagan (1962-1968) and won Calcutta League, IFA Shield, Durand and Rovers Cup.
He scored in the 1964 Durand Cup final against East Bengal and in the Calcutta League derby.
In 1969, he switched allegiance in favour of East Bengal but returned to Bagan in 1972.
Bagan honoured him with the the Lifetime Achievement award last year.
