Regularly pursuing physiotherapy, he can now walk a few yards, though needing a little help of another person.

But 71-year-old PK is now preparing to run. Literally.

He has got an invitation from Suresh Kalmadi, president of the Indian Olympic Association, to join the Olympic torch relay in Delhi on April 17.

Banerjee, who captained the Indian football team at the 1960 Rome Olympics, is visibly excited.

The former footballer, who won the Olympic Fair play trophy in 1990, told The Indian Express: “I understand that I will not be able to run 1 km. But I will definitely run at least 100 metres. Though that is a Herculean task for me, but I will definitely make it.”

“I am going through various exercises daily. It is a great honour carrying the Olympic torch.” he added.

He, however, refused to make any comment on the present Indian football captain Baichung Bhutia’s refusal to carry the Olympic torch.

“Baichung is a Buddhist. Maybe he had decided to side with the Tibetan Buddhists. But, in any case, it is his personal decision and I have nothing to say about it,” Banerjee said.

Meanwhile, officials of the Bengal Olympic Association (BOA) slammed Baichung’s decision of shunning the torch relay in Delhi.

“Baichung has done a wrong thing. Sports and politics are two separate things,” said Paresh Nath Mukherjee, president of BOA, who has also been invited to join the run.

The same sentiment was expressed by Mao Siwei, Chinese Consul General in Kolkata.