The Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) has decided to rename Delhi’s Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium after former DDCA President and BCCI Vice-President Arun Jaitley. The renaming ceremony will be held on September 12. Also, a stand of the iconic stadium will be named after Team India captain Virat Kohli.
DDCA took to Twitter to make the all-important announcement: “Kotla to be renamed as Arun Jaitley Stadium. The renaming of Delhi’s famous cricket venue as Arun Jaitley Stadium will take place on September 12 at a function where a Stand of the ground will be named after India captain Virat Kohli.”
News Alert: Kotla to be renamed as Arun Jaitley Stadium.
In a fitting tribute to its former president Arun Jaitley, @delhi_cricket has decided to name the Stadium after him. Mr Jaitley, who passed away on August 24, was president of the DDCA from 1999 to 2013. @BCCI— DDCA (@delhi_cricket) August 27, 2019
Cricketer-turned-politician Gautam Gambhir on Tuesday appreciated DDCA’s decision of renaming Feroz Shah Kotla stadium to Arun Jaitley Stadium.
“I am very happy because he deserves this. He gave Delhi a world-class stadium with world-class facilities. It (renaming of stadium) is a good thing but it would have been much better if it was renamed when he was alive. It would have been a perfect gift for him,” Gambhir told ANI.
The BJP MP from East Delhi also said that he wished to rename Yamuna Sports Complex as Arun Jaitley Sports Complex.
“In my constituency, it is the biggest sports complex, Yamuna sports complex. I think it will be a perfect gift for him from me if Yamuna sports complex is renamed as Arun Jaitley sports complex. I have proposed it in the committee and if it gets cleared, everyone will be happy, especially the East Delhi constituency.”
Here’s the video –
Gambhir had even tweeted, attaching a copy of his letter to the Delhi Lt. Governor Anil Baijal.
“May he remain in our hearts forever. As a mark of respect to our beloved leader, I hereby propose to rename ‘Yamuna Sports Complex’ as ‘Arun Jaitley Sports Complex. #RIPJaitleySir.”
May he remain in our hearts forever. As a mark of respect to our beloved leader, I hereby propose to rename “Yamuna Sports Complex” as “Arun Jaitley Sports Complex” #RiPJaitleySir pic.twitter.com/ooK95RZHiQ
— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) August 26, 2019
However, there was a clarification from the DDCA President –
“The stadium has been named as Arun Jaitley Stadium. The ground will continue to be called the Feroz Shah Kotla.”
A clarification from the DDCA president: The stadium has been named as Arun Jaitley Stadium. The ground will continue to be called the Feroz Shah Kotla.
— DDCA (@delhi_cricket) August 27, 2019
Former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley breathed his last at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on August 24 following a prolonged illness.
