Kolkata bracing up for extending warm felicitation to victorious Knights

Kolkata: Indian Premier League champion Kolkata KnightRiders - co-owned by Bollywood heartthrob Shah Rukh Khan - will be accorded a grand reception with offerings of sweets, cakes, jewellery and songs at the end of a 6-km long victory parade here Tuesday. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will take the lead in felicitating the cricketing heroes.

The main programme will be held at the historic Eden Gardens - which will be thrown open to the public to watch the one-hour function free of cost. Ahead of the civic reception at the Eden, the party will begin with a 6-km road show at 11 a.m. Tuesday starting from Hazra Crossing in the south of the city.

SRK and the players will be astride an open top vehicle proudly displaying the trophy to the people who are expected to line theroute. On the way, the players are likely to be feted at Jadu Babu's Bazar before reaching the state secretariat, the Writers' Buildings, where the trophy will be shown to Banerjee by Shah Rukh and other team members.

"This is a big achievement. The team from the city has won and we are allproud of that. Shah Rukh (Khan) is our brand ambassador and his team has won, so we want to felicitate the winners on behalf of the state government," Banerjee said at the state secretariat.

Several state ministers will take part in the roadshow.

"I will personally welcome the victorious team at the Writers' (Buildings) and then we all head to the Eden Gardens, where the team will be felicitated," said Banerjee.

A big cake with KKR's slogan "Korbo, Lorbo, Jitbo re" (We will do it, we will fight it out, we will win it) written on it will be cut at the Eden. The team members will be presented sweets by the state government and a gold chain with a a gold locket by the Cricket Association of Bengal.

The programme will end with leading Bengali bands Bhoomi, Chandrabindu and Dohar belting out peppy numbers. Strict security arrangements have been made throughout the route, and at the Eden Gardens for the event.

KKR defeated Chennai Super Kings by five wickets Sunday to lift their maiden IPL title. (IANS)