WB govt to felicitate ISL winners ATK

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee will felicitate Sourav Ganguly-owned Indian Super League franchise Atletico De Kolkata (ATK) on Wednesday for winning the inaugural ISL title, defeating Kerala Blaster 1-0 in the final played in Mumbai last Saturday.

The state government also felicitated Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) earlier in the year for winning the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket title.

“We will felicitate ATK team members on Wednesday at the Netaji Indoor Stadium," Banerjee told reporters after ATK showcased the cup at her office on Monday. Banerjee said it was a proud moment for Kolkata, saying “It is a big thing which has happened”.

She congratulated all the participating teams and the organisers. Banerjee said the cup would be dedicated to the people of the city. All India Football Federation president Praful Patel will be present during the felicitation programme. ATK defeated Kerala Blusters, co-owned by Sachin Tendulkar, by a solitary goal to lift the cup.

“ISL has popularised Indian football. Taking the game to the grass-root level will be a great morale booster for football lovers in Bengal and beyond”, Banerjee had written on her Facebook page after ATK's title triumph.