‘Will be replaced with famous footballer’: Why Mamata Banerjee-conceptualised football sculpture outside Salt Lake Stadium fell to razing drive
Times of India | 24 May 2026
KOLKATA: In a late-night operation that marked another visible change in the city, the giant football-themed installation outside the Salt Lake Stadium — a sculpture conceptualised by former chief minister Mamata Banerjee — was partially dismantled between Saturday midnight and the morning after, days after the new state govt announced its decision to remove the structure and replace it with something "more artistic and aesthetic".
The installation, one of the most recognisable visual markers outside the stadium for nearly a decade, featured two giant footballers' legs with a globe carrying the Biswa Bangla logo replacing the upper body. Installed near the VVIP gate ahead of the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup, the sculpture also had the word ‘Joyee' inscribed on the football and became a familiar sight for fans visiting the venue. The removal elicited varied reactions from football followers and residents, reflecting the divided opinions the structure had generated over the years.
Following instructions from state sports and youth affairs minister Nisith Pramanik, workers moved into the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan complex shortly after Saturday midnight to begin dismantling the structure. The operation, however, could not be completed at one go.
The upper section of the installation above the footballers' socks, along with the globe and the Biswa Bangla logo, was razed and removed. By morning, all that remained was a pair of giant socks, boots and two footballs, still attached to the base, creating an incomplete silhouette of the once-prominent structure. A stadium official said the remaining portions connected to the concrete base would also be removed in the coming days. The dismantling extended to details associated with the structure itself. At the base, stood a plaque, carrying the inscription that the statue was "conceptualised and designed by Mamata Banerjee". In the overnight operation, this plaque, too, was broken down with hammers and removed. ‘Biswa Bangla' written on the structure was uprooted as well, and was later seen lying beside the road outside the stadium.
The demolition followed remarks made by Pramanik earlier this week when he reiterated that the installation did not meet the state's artistic standards and would be replaced. "It's a strange design and does not reflect the artistic and cultural standards for which Bengal is known. We will definitely replace it," the minister said.
The issue first gained attention after Pramanik spoke on May 18 following the Indian Super League Kolkata derby between Mohun Bagan Super Giant and East Bengal FC, which ended in a 1-1 draw. Criticising the structure, he questioned its appearance and symbolism. "Such an ugly statue—two legs and a football in place of the torso—does not make sense. It does not look aesthetically pleasing either, so we will not keep such a grotesque structure that has no meaning," Pramanik told reporters.
On the night of the derby itself, the minister indicated that the state intended to replace the installation with a more recognisable football figure. "We will replace this statue, which has no meaning for us. In its place, a statue of a renowned footballer will be installed," he said.
The dismantling of the structure comes amid a broader visual transformation at the iconic stadium as well as the rest of the city. Just a day before the derby, the National Emblem of Ashok Stambha replaced the Biswa Bangla logo at multiple locations across the stadium, including the main entrance and all the six gates.
The dismantling of the installation drew mixed reactions from citizens. While some lauded the effort, claiming it was a weird statue, there were some who felt it was something "extremely different" and had become one of the markers of the city. A resident, Aloke Kumar Chatterjee, welcomed the move and said many had long viewed the installation as visually jarring. "Almost everybody unequivocally agreed that this statue with no head or torso adorning the front of the Salt Lake stadium was an eyesore and ought to be removed. Well, it is done now though the boots have been left intact. Are we expecting another famed footballer to fill those shoes? If so, let us hope we get a complete man this time," he said.
On the new installations, Chatterjee added: "As far as the Biswa Bangla plaques, we kind of learned to live with those and honestly, they weren't that bad. But the National Emblem looks better." But not everyone agreed with the removal. Samir Das criticised what he described as a politically motivated action. "Every creation is strange in its own way. That's what makes it a creation. A politics of revenge is going on. It's better to leave revenge politics aside and focus on work that benefits people, especially the poor and ordinary citizens," he said.