Filmmaker Gautam Ghose is Kolkata’s new sheriff

KOLKATA: National Award-winning filmmaker Gautam Ghose has been appointed as the new sheriff of Kolkata. It is learnt that the director had received the official letter on Friday.

Acclaimed author Mani Shankar Mukherjee, popularly known by his pen name Shankar, who passed away recently, was also the sheriff of Kolkata. In fact, in the past, several celebrities associated with the Bengali film industry like Basanta Choudhury and Ranjit Mallick, have been sheriffs.

The post of sheriff of Kolkata is a non-political and honorary position. Ghose is presently in Chennai for work and couldn’t be reached over the phone. However, the exact date of his joining the office as sheriff has not yet been confirmed.

The office of the sheriff of Kolkata dates back to the British era. Each year, one eminent citizen of the city is chosen as sheriff based on the recommendation of the Calcutta High Court and with the approval of the Government of West Bengal.