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It’s a grand affair in regular instances however due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the ardent fans of BCCI President Sourav Ganguly, who turns 48 on Wednesday, have chosen to rejoice an uncommon ‘masked’ birthday.
The fans is not going to be thronging Ganguly’s Behala home on Wednesday, protecting in thoughts the present lockdown restrictions they usually have provide you with the concept of distributing masks with Ganguly’s picture printed on them.
“This time it was all the more special as this is his first birthday as BCCI president but it’s unfortunate that we can’t go for a cake cutting celebration, so we decided to make masks,” Manas Chatterjee who runs Ganguly’s fan group, Maharajer Darbare, on Facebook advised PTI from Bankura.
“We have made 100 masks with Dada’s 1996 Lord’s debut photo on one side and the current photo as BCCI president on the other. We will distribute the masks among the members.
“Some members in Kolkata will go to his residence at Behala to present him the masks. We have spoken to the safety workers at Dada’s residence.”
The group has more than 9000 fans from across the state and the masks have been sent out to the members in various districts like Bardhaman, Asansol, Nadia, North, South 24 Parganas. They will be sporting the masks on Wednesday.
Fan group looks to raise money for charity by selling masks
Since the customary cake-cutting ceremony would not be possible this time, the fans thought of stitching the white coloured masks, with two photos of Ganguly on the left and right sides.
The fan group is also looking for some charity work by raising money from selling the masks.
“We have recognized 48 Cyclone Amphan affected households from varied districts. Our members will go to distribute reduction supplies. We have chosen 48 households protecting in thoughts Dada’s 48th birthday,” Chatterjee said.
Looking at the response, the group also plans to sell the masks with a price tag of Rs 96 — the year Ganguly made his famous Lord’s Test debut, where he hit 131.
“We have gotten some inquiries and are ready for some extra. The cash raised might be used for charity work,” he said.
For fans living near Ganguly’s house at Behala, it’s going to be a forgettable birthday without any celebrations.
“I had spoken to the safety workers of his residence they usually have politely requested us not to collect with cake and this time will probably be a low-key affair,” said one of his ardent fans Ratan Halder who runs a fan club since the Greg Chappell controversy in 2005.
Every year, he distributes sweets and cakes for school children but in the current situation Halder has chosen to do some relief work.
“I’m planning to distribute reduction supplies for COVID-19 affected households close to our space,” he said.
For another Ganguly fan, Shantanu Saha, who is also a cricket coach and runs an academy near Behala, all the celebrations have been shelved this time.
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