Kolkata, Sept 21: In a noble gesture veteran leg spinner Anil Kumble has donated his first India blazer for the cause of a children's hospital extension project here. The blazer, which the 33-yr-old bespectacled Kumble wore when he received his first national call-up in 1989, would be auctioned off along with the kits of leading Indian cricketers including skipper Sourav Ganguly and master batsman Sachin Tendulkar, on September 24 to raise Rs 50 lakh for constructing an additional block in the B C Roy Hospital for children.
A cricket bat, signed by all current test and one-day international players, would also come under the hammer.
Ganguly, the prime mover behind the auction for the Rs six crore project, had written personal letters to business barons and cricket personalities inviting them to the auction-cum-dinner.
The Indian skipper himself has donated an entire set of cricketing gear, including several bats he used during the February-March World Cup.
Others who have pitched in with the cricket accessories include Rahul Dravid, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, West Bengal Minister for Municipal Affairs Ashok Bhatacharjee told today.
The function was being organised in keeping with Ganguly's birthday promise -- on July 8 -- to raise the funds for adding another block to the B C Roy Hospital for children.
The state government will also contribute some amount for the construction work and also ask the Centre for help.
Bureau Report