Anjan Bhattacharjee

{{Short description|Indian cricketer (1950–2022)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}

{{Use Indian English|date=August 2019}}

{{Infobox cricketer

| name = Anjan Bhattacharjee

| image =

| caption =

| country = India

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1950|12|25|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Cachar, Assam, India

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2022|12|5|1950|12|25|df=yes}}

| death_place =

| batting =

| bowling = Right-arm fast-medium

| family =

| club1 = Bihar

| year1 = 1970-71 to 1972-73

| columns = 1

| column1 = First-class

| matches1 = 13

| runs1 = 57

| bat avg1 = 7.12

| 100s/50s1 = 0/0

| top score1 = 13

| deliveries1 = 1865

| wickets1 = 35

| bowl avg1 = 27.08

| fivefor1 = 2

| tenfor1 = 1

| best bowling1 = 7/10

| catches/stumpings1= 5/–

| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/player/27463.html ESPNcricinfo

| date = 19 November 2017

}}

Anjan Bhattacharjee (25 December 1950 – 5 December 2022) was a cricketer who played first-class cricket for Bihar from 1970 to 1972. He was deaf.

Bhattacharjee was born in Kushiarkul village of Jalalpur Tea Garden in Cachar district, Assam, India.

Bhattacharjee made his first-class debut against Orissa in the Ranji Trophy in December 1970. He took 6 for 26 in the first innings as Orissa were dismissed for 81.{{cite web | url = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/31/31328.html| title = Bihar v Orissa 1970-71| publisher=CricketArchive| access-date =19 November 2017 |url-access=subscription}} P. N. Sundaresan, writing in Wisden, described him as "[playing] the game with great zest and never [sparing] himself whether bowling or fielding".Wisden 1972, p. 983.

In the first match of the 1971–72 season Bhattacharjee took 3 for 54 and 7 for 10 against Assam, dismissing them for 32 in the second innings, when they batted two men short.{{cite web | url = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/32/32087.html| title = Bihar v Assam 1971-72| publisher=CricketArchive| access-date =19 November 2017 |url-access=subscription}} In each of his first two seasons Bihar progressed to the Ranji Trophy quarter-finals. He was less successful in 1972–73, which was his last first-class season.

Although he was no longer playing first-class cricket, Bhattacharjee received the Arjuna Award in 1974, thus becoming the first cricketer of Bengali descent to receive the award.{{cite web | url = http://www.bcci.tv/news/2016/news/13416/recipients-of-various-honours-from-the-government-of-india| title = Recipients of various honours from the government of India| publisher=BCCI | access-date =19 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190911110553/http://www.bcci.tv:80/news/2016/news/13416/recipients-of-various-honours-from-the-government-of-india |archive-date=11 September 2019}} He captained the Indian deaf team against Australia in 1978 and 1985 and against Pakistan in 1982.{{cite web |title=Differently-abled cricketers |url=https://www.coca-colaindia.com/stories/differently-abled-cricketers |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190930043653/https://www.coca-colaindia.com/stories/differently-abled-cricketers |archive-date=2019-09-30 |access-date= |website=CocaCola Journey |publisher=LIMCA Book of Records}} He later served as President of the Asia Deaf Cricket Federation.{{cite web |date=16 August 2012 |title=Vivekanandan elected Senior Vice Chairman, Asia Deaf Cricket Federation |url=http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=59391 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190119174407/http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=59391 |archive-date=2019-01-19 |access-date= |website=The Island |publisher=}}

Bhattacharjee died on 5 December 2022, aged 71.{{cite web |title=Anjan Bhattacharjee |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/38/38368/38368.html |website=CricketArchive |access-date=9 December 2022 |url-access=subscription}}{{cite web |title=Tribute to Shri Anjan Bhattacharjee |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCH1VSNaa54 |website=YouTube | date=5 December 2022 |access-date=7 December 2022}}Wisden 2023, p. 207.