Stands at Eden to honour martyrs

One day after Gautam Gambhir announced his foundation would take care of the education of the children of CRPF personnel killed in the line of duty, his temporary home, the Eden Gardens, unveiled four stands named after martyred soldiers.

Before the Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Daredevils match began, four stands were officially named after Colonel Neelakantan Jayachandran Nair, Havildar Hangpan Dada, Lieutenant Colonel Dhan Singh Thapa and Subedar Joginder Singh.

GANGULY INAUGURATES

The stands were unveiled by Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president Sourav Ganguly, Lieutenant-general Praveen Bakshi, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, ADC General Officer Commanding-in-chief Eastern Army Command among others.

Arunachal Pradesh’s Dada, who was with Assam Regiment gave his life while combating sus pected intruders in Naugram north Kashmir last year. He was awarded the Ashok Chakra post humously, according to a report on the CAB’S website.

Nair was with the 16 Maratha Light Infantry and died in Naga land in 1993, ambushed by 100 armed insurgents. He was awarded Ashok Chakra and Kirt Chakra posthumously.

Singh, who refused to evacuate despite being injured and held on a defensive position in the north east, too was awarded Param Vir Chakra posthumously.

Thapa, who was involved in the Chinese war of 1962, was with the Gorkha Rifles. He too got the Param Vir Chakra. The Eden named stands after cricketers and cricket administrators dur ing the January 22 ODI against England. On that day it was announced that stands would also be named after soldiers as the stadium is in the Maidan area which is under the Indian Army