This Article is From Jul 08, 2021

Didi At Dada Sourav Ganguly's Home With Roses, Sweets On His 49th Birthday

At 5 o'clock on Thursday evening, Mamata Banerjee, fondly called Didi, arrived at Dada - Sourav Ganguly's - home with a bunch of yellow roses and a box of sweets.

Didi At Dada Sourav Ganguly's Home With Roses, Sweets On His 49th Birthday

Mamata Banerjee greeted Sourva Ganguly with a bunch of yellow roses

Kolkata:

Mamata Banerjee has always wished the former Captain of the Indian cricket team Sourav Ganguly on his birthday, but virtually. On his 49th birthday, all that changed.

At 5 o'clock on Thursday evening, Mamata Banerjee, fondly called Didi, arrived at Dada - Sourav Ganguly's - home with a bunch of yellow roses and a box of sweets.

The former India cricket captain had a gift for her, too, a return gift, just like in children's birthday parties, sources told NDTV.

Within minutes of the Chief Minister's departure from his Behala home in southwest Kolkata, a vehicle arrived from Raj Bhavan bearing a bouquet for Dada.

Sourav Ganguly was noncommittal about his birthday. "It's another year gone," he said. "That's the way it is for everyone."  

But no question his 49th birthday is turning out to be special. Because of two things: his near brush with politics and death.

On January 2, Sourav Ganguly was rushed to the hospital after he suffered a mild cardiac arrest while working out at his home gym.

He was in the hospital for five nights and six days but every day a stream of political leaders made a beeline to the hospital to check on him.

So many, that the hospital opened a Saurav Ganguly Lounge where the VIPs could wait their turn to meet him.

The well-wishers were of every political colour.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi enquired about the BCCI chief's health over the phone.

Home Minister Amit Shah was in touch with his wife Dona Ganguly for regular health updates.

Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankar visited the cricketer on Day 1. So did Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Even Anurag Thakur, the Minister of State at that time, and Rajya Sabha MP Swapan Dasgupta visited him.

CPM leader Ashok Bhattacharya spelt it out. Sourav Ganguly landed in the hospital, he had said because of the huge BJP pressure to join politics.

The West Bengal Assembly election was around the corner and certainly, the BJP was known to be wooing Sourav Ganguly to join the party and contest the election as its Chief Ministerial candidate.

But Sourav Ganguly did not oblige.

Mamata Banerjee's personal visit to his home on his 49th birthday could be her way of saying thank you for staying out of politics.

Not a word on this from Sourav Ganguly except for a piece of good news. Asked if there were any restrictions on what he could eat, he smiled and said, "No, no. I am absolutely fit".

Sourav Ganguly did have to return to the hospital on January 27 and undergo an angioplasty. There have been no medical complaints since then.

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