Kolkata, July 15 (PTI) India may not be competing in the U-19 World women Basketball Championship but will have representation in city's Atanu Banerjee, who has been chosen by FIBA as an officiating referee for the premier tournament. The championship is to be held in Chile from July 21-31. A postal assistant at the city's Rashbehari Post Office, the 37-year-old will officiate in his third world championship and is keeping his fingers crossed for the next year's London Olympics. Banerjee, who became the first Indian basketball referee to officiate in a world championship final last year, says he is looking forward to get a call for London 2012. "I am confident to get a call for the Olympics. It's not yet decided. But I'm sure, my performance in all these world championships will be under scrutiny," Banerjee told PTI. The basketball referee's first claim to fame was in 2007 when he officiated in U-21 World Women's Championship held in Russia. During that time he was a postman, delivering letters at doorsteps under Thakurpukur Post Office and now he has been promoted as an assistant. The diminutive Banerjee said, "In the sport, I'm almost half the height of the players, yet they respect me and call me 'sir'. "I was very nervous in the Russia meet. FIBA officials were watching me. But I did a good job and they gave me an opportunity to officiate in the senior men's Asian qualifying meet. The journey began there..." .
The best, so far, for Banerjee happened last year when he got a nod from FIBA to officiate in the final of the U-17 Women's World Championships to be held at the port city of Puerto Montt. "Hopefully, I will do a good job this time and there should not be looking back. Olympics is the next target, which will be a dream come true for me." The Chetla resident, who is leaving for Chile this Sunday, is a fitness freak. "Everyday I've to train rigorously to keep myself in good shape," Banerjee said. That will help him in the fitness test before the meet gets underway. A not-so-successful basket-baller - he represented Bengal twice (in 1987 and 1991) - Banerjee turned to refereeing in 1997. Seven years later, he acquired an A-class certificate from the Basketball Federation of India (BFI). The journey continued through 10 national championships, before he earned the FIBA certificate in Bangladesh in 2006. As per the Basketball Federation of India, the country has 19 referees who hold the FIBA officiating license and are widely regarded as having some of the best officials in Asian basketball.
Source : ibnlive.in.com, July 15, 2011
The All India Postal Employees Union, Group-C, Bhubaneswar Division feels proud enough to have Sri Atanu Banerjee in the postal family. While we congratulate Sri Banerjee for his success , we pray that his dream for London – 2012 may come true.
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