West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee described Sachin Tendulkar as a `golden boy` as the state government and the Cricket Association of Bengal jointly felicitated the senior Indian batsman.
|Last Updated: May 12, 2012, 04:41 PM IST|Source: Bureau
Kolkata: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee described Sachin Tendulkar as a `golden boy` as the state government and the Cricket Association of Bengal jointly felicitated the senior Indian batsman for completing one hundred international centuries.
The felicitation ceremony was held at the Eden Gardens just ahead of the IPL clash between Kolkata Knight Riders and Mumbai Indians.
Congratulating Tendulkar on behalf of the government, Mamata said, "He is a golden boy. That`s why we have gifted you a golden bat and ball. We salute your achievement. We are so proud of you."
Tendulkar greeted the jam-packed Eden crowd first in Bengali by saying `Bhalo Achi` and then added, "Thank you all for your support I`ve seen over the years. It has been a pleasure playing here. I will cherish these memories. I hope you continue to support me and the Indian team as you always have."
Earlier the chief minister handed Tendulkar the golden bat and ball and also an earthen pot, containing 100 rasogollas (sweets).
CAB boss Jagmohan Dalmiya also joined them as Tendulkar was bestowed with gifts, including a traditional `Uttario` (scarf).
Dalmiya also handed the cricketer a memento that read: `Congratulations Sachin Tendulkar for 100 international centuries`.
Mamata had recently suggested Tendulkar`s name for the highest civilian honour -- Bharat Ratna -- in his congratulatory message when the Mumbai stalwart had notched the feat in Dhaka.
The majestic Eden was decked up with giant Tendulkar banners that read `CAB salutes Sachin`.
The CAB also had put up 65,000-odd small posters in each of the chairs in the stadium for the felicitation.
"This is for the first time, he came here after the milestone. So we plannned to felicitate him in a befitting manner jointly by the state government," CAB chief Jagmohan Dalmiya said.
PTI
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.