Popular Cricket Stadium in India to be “Renamed” as a ‘Fitting Tribute’

As a Tribute to India's former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley who was also the president of DDCA (The Delhi and District Cricket Association) from 1999 to 2013, the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium will be renamed after him. Jaitley breathed his last on August 24 (Saturday) and the DDCA has announced the decision to rename the Kotla Stadium on August 27 ( Tuesday).

According to the reports, the renaming ceremony will take place on September 12 at a function during which a stand at the stadium will be named after India Captain Virat Kohli as reported earlier. The function will take place at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in the presence of Home Minister Amit Shah and Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju.

"News Alert: Kotla to be renamed as Arun Jaitley Stadium. In a fitting tribute to its former president Arun Jaitley, @delhi_cricket  has decided to name the stadium after him. Mr Jaitley, who passed away on August 24, was president of the DDCA from 1999 to 2013. @BCCI," (sic) DDCA tweeted via their official handle.

Rajat Sharma, the DDCA president was quoted as saying, "It was Arun Jaitley's support and encouragement that players like Virat Kohli, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Ashish Nehra, Rishabh Pant and many others could make India proud." Sharma also added that Jaitley was the major reason who contributed to the renovation of the stadium in terms of seating capacity instead of building world-class dressing rooms.

Touted to be the second oldest Cricket Stadium in India, Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium can hold the capacity of 40,000 people and it was established in 1834. The stadium has hosted 34 Test Matches, 25 ODIs and 5 T20s apart from IPL and Delhi Cricket team matches till date.