Siliguri, 16th August: Khela Hobe Diwas is being celebrated across the state under the joint aegis of the Department of Youth Services and Sports of West Bengal government. The special occasion was celebrated at the Siliguri Kanchenjunga Stadium which was organised by the Siliguri Municipal Corporation and District Youth Services Department.
Deputy Mayor Ranjan Sarkar, Municipal Corporation Chairman Pratul Chakraborty, Municipal Commissioner Sonam Wangdi Bhutia, Siliguri Sub Divisional Officer Priyanka Singh, Mayor-Council Dilip Barman, Ward No. 12 Councilor Basudeb Ghosh inaugurated the event by lighting the lamp and blowing up the balloons. Six teams took part in the said tournament. The esteemed guests also gave gifts to the maintainers of the ground.
It is to recall, 16 people lost their lives in the East Bengal-Mohun Bagan Derby Match at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata in 1980. To commemorate the day Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee declared 16th August to be celebrated as Khela Hobe Day across the state. Siliguri is also celebrating the occasion like every other year.
Speaking in this regard, Deputy Mayor Ranjan Sarkar said that the football tournament is organised to remember the lives lost in 1980 in a derby match. He further added that the SMC aspires to take Kanchenjunga Stadium to an international level. He urged cooperation from all the citizens to make this possible.