It’s a big deal in normal times, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic, enthusiastic fans of BCCI President Sourav Ganguly, who turns 48 on Wednesday, have chosen to celebrate an unusual ‘masked’ birthday.
Fans will not invade Ganguly’s Behala home on Wednesday, given the current closure restrictions, and came up with the idea of distributing masks with Ganguly’s photo printed on them.
“This time it was even more special since this is his first birthday as BCCI president, but it is unfortunate that we cannot attend a cake cutting celebration, so we decided to make masks,” said Manas Chatterjee, who heads the group of Ganguly fans, Maharaja. Darbare, on Facebook, told PTI from Bankura.
“We have made 100 masks with Dada’s 1996 debut photo of Lord on one side and the current photo as BCCI President on the other. We will distribute the masks to the members.”
“Some members in Kolkata will go to his residence in Behala to give him the masks. We have spoken with security personnel at the Dada residence.”
The group has more than 9000 fans from across the state and masks have been mailed to members in various districts such as Bardhaman, Asansol, Nadia, North, South 24 Parganas. They will be wearing the masks on Wednesday.
Group of fans looking to raise money for charity by selling masks
Since the usual cake cutting ceremony would not be possible this time, fans thought about sewing the white masks, with two photos of Ganguly on the left and right sides.
The group of fans is also looking for a charity job raising money by selling the masks.
“We have identified 48 families affected by Cyclone Amphan from various districts. Our members will be distributing relief materials. We have chosen 48 families based on Dada’s 48th birthday,” said Chatterjee.
Looking at the response, the group also plans to sell the masks priced at Rs 96, the year Ganguly made his famous debut in Lord’s Test, where he reached 131.
“We have some queries and we are waiting for some more. The money raised will be used for charity work,” he said.
For fans living near Ganguly’s home in Behala, it will be an unforgettable birthday with no celebrations.
“I spoke to the security staff at his residence and they politely asked us not to meet with the cake and this time it will be a discreet matter,” said one of his enthusiastic fans, Ratan Halder, who runs a fan club since the controversy. Greg Chappell in 2005.
Every year, he distributes sweets and cakes for school-age children, but in the current situation, Halder has chosen to do a helping job.
“I am planning to distribute relief materials to families affected by COVID-19 near our area,” he said.
For another Ganguly fan, Shantanu Saha, who is also a cricket coach and runs an academy near Behala, all celebrations have been archived this time.
She is a freelance blogger, writer, and speaker, and writes for various entertainment magazines.