Saurav advocates for development of sports, industry

Kolkata, Feb 22 (UNI) A perfect ambassador for brand Buddha, Saurav Ganguly today advocated for development of sports along with industrialisation for a resurgent Bengal.

The stage was set as the Maharaja entered to cheers from thousands. The programme was for the foundation laying of a sports complex along with commercial hub with an investment of Rs 200 crore in South Kolkata.

The crowd was dying to listen about cricketing promises from their icon just before the World Cup. Dada said, '' Kolkata is much developed today. I believe that industry is its future. '' '' Multiplexes are to come up here no doubt, but our interest is related to the sports complex. I hope facilities of this complex will be of international standard, '' Ganguly said coming back to the very topic of sports.

'' And not only for cricket, facilities should be there for other sports like football and athletics. It was essential to have a stadium within the city with a capacity of about four thousand people. Many sports lovers are not able to utilise Eden Gardens or Yuba Bharati stadium. Opportunity should be here for those sports lovers, '' the cricket star said, while promoting the progress of industrialisation with an eye for the poor.

'' Personalities like Baichung Bhutia, Soma Biswas, Bula Chowdhury have achieved glories on their own effort. There was no such facility when I started playing cricket. Facilities are improving. It will improve further with time, '' Dada, as he is fondly called, said.

'' In the past five years Kolkata has changed a lot. I appeal to those related to development of this complex to keep facilities for all type of sports. I also appeal to facilitate normal boys and girls who do not get opportunity to play in such atmosphere, '' Ganguly said.

'' I hope you will help the city to create more sports personalities. Not only cricketers, athletes, swimmers and footballers. Football is game of the city and let Bengal attain the glory of previous days, '' he said.

Besides a host of political leaders, Baichung Bhutia, Soma Biswas, Bula Chowdhury and Manoj Tewari were on the stage.

As Ganguly ended the speech, the crowd turned wild to get close to their Prince but Ganguly left in his car leaving a dream behind.

UNI