After bestowing cricketer Richa Ghosh with cash prize, Banga Bhushan award, and a gold chain among others, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday announced plans to build a cricket stadium in Siliguri, which will be named after her.
Siliguri in north Bengal is the hometown of Ghosh, the 22-year-old wicketkeeper-batter, who played a major role in the women’s World Cup triumph.
Announcing the decision at a press conference in Siliguri, where the chief minister is on a two-day visit to review the relief and rehabilitation works following last month’s rainfall and landslides, Banerjee said, “Congratulations to Richa. She has become a world champion at the age of just 22… The Richa Cricket Stadium will be built on a 27-acre plot at Chandmoni Bagan. This is a way to honour Richa, one of Bengal’s shining sports talents, and also encourage more young cricketers from north Bengal.”
“The project will soon be undertaken by the state government,” she added.
Richa’s father, Manabendra Ghosh, welcomed the announcement of the cricket stadium. “A long-cherished dream is about to be realised. It is a huge gain not only for Richa but for the coming generation,” he said.
If completed, the Siliguri project would be unusual in India. “Very few stadiums bear the names of active sportspersons. Most large venues named after personalities commemorate political leaders or recently deceased figures. Examples include the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi and the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad — both named to honour public figures rather than current players,” said an official.
Officials said the proposed stadium would aim to serve as a major sporting hub for North Bengal, providing training facilities and better infrastructure for young cricketers from the region.
Last Saturday, at a felicitation ceremony at the Eden Gardens, the chief minister bestowed Ghosh with the state’s prestigious Banga Bhushan award and handed her an appointment letter as a deputy superintendent of police (DSP) in the state police force.
The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) also presented Richa with a Rs 34 lakh cash reward and a golden bat and ball, signed by Sourav Ganguly and former India pacer Jhulan Goswami.
The West Bengal government also gifted her a gold chain during the ceremony.
The announcement of the stadium came as the chief minister reviewed relief and rehabilitation work in districts affected by heavy rain. This is the chief minister’s third visit to the region since the rains and landslides killed at least 25 people and left hundreds homeless.
The CM directed officials to speed up relief operations and to prioritise rebuilding and resettlement for families displaced by landslides.