New Delhi, August 27: The iconic Feroz Shah Kotla stadium in the national capital will be renamed after late former union minister Arun Jaitley, who passed away following prolonged illness last week. The Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) announced on Tuesday that the stadium's name would be changed to honour the deceased politician.
Jaitley, an ardent follower of cricket who was deeply involved in the cricket administration of Delhi, served as the president of DDCA for 13 years. He resigned from the post in 2015, nearly a year after he was entrusted by the Narendra Modi government with the critical Finance Ministry. Gautam Gambhir Proposes Renaming Yamuna Sports Complex After Arun Jaitley
"What can be better to have it named after man who got it rebuilt under his presidentship. It was Arun Jaitley’s support that players like Virat Kohli, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Ashish Nehra, Rishabh Pant and many others could make India proud," said DDCA president and veteran journalist Rajat Sharma.
Announcement by DDCA:
News Alert: 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.
— DDCA (@delhi_cricket) August 27, 2019
Update by ANI:
Clarification from DDCA president: The stadium has been named as Arun Jaitley Stadium,ground will continue to be called the Feroz Shah Kotla. https://t.co/g6SrErKhP9
— ANI (@ANI) August 27, 2019
A day earlier, East Delhi MP Gautam Gambhir issued a proposal to rename the Yamuna Sports Complex after Arun Jaitley. Officials privy to the matter said his proposal is likely to be accepted, and the institute could be renamed as Jaitley Sports Complex.
Jaitley, 66, breathed his last on Saturday at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). He was admitted at the premier hospital on August 9, after he complained of breathlessness and anxiety. The BJP veteran's health had deteriorated since last year, when he underwent a surgery for a kidney-related ailment. After the party had returned to power in the recent general elections, Jaitley had sought his exclusion from the Union Cabinet on health grounds.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 27, 2019 04:17 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).