Host of celebrities to get Bengal government awards

Kolkata: A host of sports celebrities including former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly, and country`s soccer legends P.K. Banerjee, Chuni Goswami and Tulsidas Balaram would be presented the Banga Bibhushan award Monday.

Mountaineer Aung Narvu Sherpa would also be among the Banga Bhushan awardees at a function where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee would be present. Governor M.K. Narayanan would hand over the awards, an official said. The Bangabhushan award would be presented to hockey Olympian Gurbux Singh, tennis ace Leander Paes, Grandmaster Dibyendu Barua, paddler Poulami Ghatak and former Indian women`s cricket captain Jhulan Goswami. The Banga Bibhushan awardees from other fields are actor Mithun Chakraborty, dancer Thankamani Kutti, industrialist B.K. Birla, film director Rituporno Ghosh, yesteryears` actors Sandhya Roy and Sabitri Chatterjee, noted Baul singer Purnadas Baul, painter Subhaprasanna and veteran journalist Amitabha Chowdhury. IANS