Indian captain Sourav Ganguly signed an MoU with Videocon International Limited, the country's leading consumer electronics and home appliances company, for establishing a world class cricket academy in Kolkata at a cost of Rs one crore.
The academy, to be called 'Sourav Ganguly and Videocon School of Cricket', would come up at the satellite Salt Lake City township on a five-acre plot provided by the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA).
As per the MoU, signed in the presence of West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee, the infrastructure for the academy would be provided by Videocon International Limited, while day-to-day management would be looked after by a team of professionals headed by the talented left hander.
Ganguly later told reporters in Kolkata on Saturday that the academy would identify and pick up young talent in the age group of eight years and onwards and groom them to make a mark on the world stage.
"We shall spare no effort to ensure that a truly world class cricket school comes up here," he said.
Ganguly said there is a plan to set up a residential wing to the academy in three years time.
He said that his brother Snehasish Ganguly and former Bengal cricketer Sanjay Das would be available to guide trainees and a player with a good record in international cricket would be appointed chief coach.
"He may be a foreigner or a famous Indian cricketer," Ganguly added.
Formal inauguration of the Academy has been slated for 'Pahela Baisakh' (first day of Bengali calendar year in mid-April).
The chief minister, who took a personal interest in the project, said: "We are happy at the spontaneity shown by the corporate house in supporting the project. Such an academy is needed to further improve the standard of cricket in Bengal."
Videocon International Limited chairman V N Dhoot signed the MoU for the company.
