East Bengal Club Pays Tribute to Visionary Leader Deepak (Poltu) Das on His 24th Death Anniversary

Sayak Banerjee / 23-03-2025

East Bengal Club observed the 24th death anniversary of its transformative leader Deepak (Poltu) Das with solemn tributes and a grand felicitation ceremony. The day began with floral tributes and lamp lighting by former players Bhaskar Ganguly, Monoranjan Bhattacharya, and others at the club tent.

At Khudiram Anushilan Kendra, East Bengal honoured notable personalities from various fields with the ‘Deepak Jyoti Samman’, inspired by Das’s legacy. Honourees included football coach Raghu Nandy, cricket coach Pranab Kumar Nandy, actor Sabyasachi Chakraborty, danseuse-actor Mamata Shankar, lawyer Anindya Mitra, and social worker Kamal Duggar, among others. Former stars Baichung Bhutia and I.M. Vijayan were also felicitated, followed by a special talk show hosted by sports editor Gautam Bhattacharya.

The event featured cultural performances, tribute videos, and the trailer launch of Shatabarsh-er East Bengal, a documentary directed by Gautam Ghosh. A moment of silence was observed in memory of four recently deceased club associates. The ceremony concluded with remarks by cricket secretary Sanjeev Acharya.