Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], November 7 (ANI): West Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari met former cricketer and Member of Parliament Harbhajan Singh in Kolkata on the occasion of Dhanteras and pre-Kali Puja celebrations.
During their interaction, the legendary former spinner presented Adhikari with an autographed Team India jersey as a Diwali gift.
In a post on X, CM Adhikari expressed his gratitude for the gesture and remarked that the occasion reflected the unifying power of sports.
https://x.com/SuvenduWB/status/2118748850609623494
“A truly wonderful and vibrant evening in Kolkata on the auspicious occasion of Dhanteras and pre-Kali Puja festivities. It was an absolute pleasure meeting legendary former Cricketer and Hon’ble Member of Parliament, Shri Harbhajan Singh Ji,” Adhikari said in his post.
“I am deeply touched by his gracious gesture of presenting me with his signed, autographed Team India jersey. On behalf of the passionate, sports-loving people of West Bengal, I warmly accepted this treasured memento as a special Diwali gift. Such heartfelt moments reflect the unifying spirit of sports and the shared joy of our festivities,” he added.
Concluding his message, he also extended festive wishes, writing, “Wishing everyone a very Happy Kali Puja and a joyous & bright Deepavali.”
Earlier on November 6, Dhanteras brought a positive start to the festive shopping season for jewellers in Kolkata, with customers showing healthy interest in gold coins, bullion and silver coins, while demand for lightweight and versatile jewellery also remained a prominent trend.
Vinod Bamlwa, owner of Nemichand Bamalwa and Sons, said the market had witnessed healthy demand this year, with customer footfall also registering a slight increase compared to last year.
Speaking to ANI, Bamlwa said, “The market is healthy, and there is good demand for coins, bullion, and silver coins. There is quite a good demand this time, a very healthy demand. And I think customer footfall has also increased a bit this year compared to last year.”
He added that the relatively lower crowd at the time of his interaction had also contributed to a positive shopping experience for customers, helping sustain enthusiasm during the festive occasion.
The Dhanteras festival is expected to generate business worth more than Rs 1 lakh crore across the country on Friday, with gold and silver sales alone estimated to contribute over Rs 60,000 crore, according to the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT).
The trade body noted that festive buying enthusiasm remains strong, with consumers continuing to purchase jewellery, silver coins and traditional gifts during the festival. (ANI)
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