Mukherjee assures financial help to BHA

PTI 12 September 2009:

KOLKATA: Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday assured the country’s oldest hockey body ‘Bengal Hockey Association’ of providing
financial assistance to help them acquiring astro turf and advised to submit a proper project report in this direction early.

Speaking at a felicitation accorded to him by the Bengal Hockey Association in the city this evening in presence of galaxy of sports persons including former Olympians, Mukherjee observed that because of various problems in the sporting arena, aspirations and goals in these field have failed to achieve their rightful place.

“But it is imperative to overcome these problems if the country has to advance in sports and games,” Mukherjee said.

Mukherjee, who was honoured for becoming the Patron-in-Chief of the century year old BHA during its Centenary Celebrations, also recalled that till 1980, India remained at top of the world hockey and spirit of patriotism and nationalism were geared up through this fine sport in the country.

He said when Indian footballers defeated the Britishers in 1911 IFA Shield final in this city, it inspired the entire nation to fight against the British rule in the country.

Earlier speaking on the occasion, former Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court, Shyamal Kumar Sen lamented that hockey in Bengal, which once brought so many laurels for the country, “is almost abandoned from Kolkata” under prevailing situation.

He hoped that situation could be changed if the Union Finance minister, as a lover of this game, provides some guidance and helped to regain the old glory.

West Bengal Sports minister Kanti Ganguly addressing the gathering informed that he is trying his best so that BHA gets ground of its own. He informed that he had marked a plot at Dumurjala in Howrah for this purpose. If BHA finds it suitable, they can use this ground, he added.

Ganguly further assured BHA that “if necessary, the ministry will allot the hockey turf at Salt Lake stadium to the BHA.”

He also stressed the need of reframing the National Sports Policy and urged the Union Finance minister to see that the new policy help the states to harness potential players from the grass root level.

Legendary footballer and 1951 Asian games champion Sailen Manna, former Olympians Pradip Banerjee, Chuni Goswami former Indian hockey Olympian captains Leslie Claudius and Gurubaux Singh and hockey Olympians Keshab Dutta, Jaswant Rajput, Birbahadur Chhetry, chess grand master Dibyendu Barua and former world champion archer Dola Banerjee were felicitated by BHA on the occasion.