Sourav Ganguly may have said farewell to international and first class cricket, but his popular appeal is undiminished.
Ganguly`s features prominently in the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M)`s youth wing Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) calendar for 2009.
Ganguly himself unveiled the calendar at a programme in his Behala residence Friday.
The DYFI`s zonal committee at Rajarhat conceived the idea to honour the cricketing icon, who retired from international cricket early November.
“We wanted to do something new this year. So we struck upon this idea. We have taken Ganguly`s approval before publishing the calendar,” said DYFI leader and Rajarhat-Gopalpur municipality chairman Tapas Chatterjee.
The municipality would also organise a blood donation camp on Ganguly`s birthday on July 8 next.
Visibly happy at seeing his picture on the calendar, Ganguly said: “It`s really nice to see I have the support of so many people.”
However, Ganguly`s appearance on the cover again triggered speculation that he was planning to join active politics, but the cricketer was quick to scotch any such possibility. “No, Never,” he said when asked about a possible stint in politics.
Word had been going round in November that Ganguly would be fielded by the CPI-M as its candidate against Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, but the former Indian captain termed it as completely untrue.