Adda52 Online Poker presents The Telegraph Puja Premier League 2022, powered by Subhas Bose Institute of Hotel Management and co-powered by Baazar Kolkata, was a huge success. Almost 100 community Puja committees from the city and surrounding areas participated in the pre-Puja competition. To compete for the winner’s spot, 10 shortlisted finalists had presented programmes of entertainment in the days leading up to the Pujas. Residents of the community took part in these programmes at their respective pandals, with active participation by a celebrity guest.
The Telegraph Puja Premier League Awards, held on October 29 at The Spring Club, was thus the culmination of a month-long wait to declare the winners and celebrate the successful completion of the event. Held in a completely informal environment, the evening was more than just an award ceremony. It was a delightful way of re-living the joy, enthusiasm and excitement of the actual competition as well as of the five days of the festival that followed. Sponsors, organisers and the 10 finalists of the The Telegraph Puja Premier League came together and bonded beautifully in a manner resembling a Bijoya Sammelani (post-Puja gathering) consisting of close family and friends.
The evening began with a welcome address by Krishnendu Guha, chief revenue officer of adda52 Online Poker and Samit Kumar Mandal, principal of Subhas Bose Institute of Hotel Management. This was followed by a fun-filled session of online poker played by representative members of the 10 finalists.
The main awards programme was marked by a spirit of friendship, bonhomie and brotherhood that saw competing Puja committees heartily applaud, extol and honour one another’s achievements.
Event sponsors, along with actresses Richa Sharma, Swastika Dutta and Arunima Ghosh gave away the prizes.
Glimpses.
Santoshpur Lake Pally received their trophy and certificate of participation from Somanka Betal of Subhas Bose Institute of Hotel Management and actress Swastika Dutta
Hosted by adda52 Online Poker, an exciting and invigorating game of online poker was played by representatives of each of the 10 finalist teams, with much cheering, clapping, teasing and even an entertaining, impromptu commentary that added more fun to the game
Swastika Dutta presented the participant’s trophy and certificate to the members of Barisha Sarbojonin Durgotsab Samity
Swastika Dutta awarded the participation trophy and certificate to members of Behala Nutan Dal
Tala Barowari Durgotsab received their trophy and certificate of participation from Swastika Dutta, Richa Sharma and Arunima Ghosh
Principal of Subhas Bose Institute of Hotel Management Samit Kumar Mandal and actress Swastika Dutta presented the participant’s trophy and certificate to the members of Beliaghata 33 no. Palli Bashi Brinda Puja committee
Sayan Chakraborty of Subhas Bose Institute of Hotel Management and Swastika Dutta, actress, awarded the trophy and participation certificate to representatives of 66 Palli Club
Debopam Sinha of Subhas Bose Institute of Hotel Management and Swastika Dutta, actress, awarded the trophy and participation certificate to members of Hindustan Park Sarbojonin Durgotsab Committee
Richa Sharma awarded the prize to the winner of the evening’s online poker game, Barisha Sarbojonin Durgotsab Samity
Hatibagan Sarbojanin was declared 1st runner-up and awarded their trophy, certificate and cheque by actress Richa Sharma and Krishnendu Guha of adda52 Online Poker.
Thakurpukur State Bank Park Sarbojonin was declared 2nd runner-up and presented their trophy, certificate and cheque by Richa Sharma and Krishnendu Guha.
Actresses Richa Sharma, Swastika Dutta and Arunima Ghosh posed for the camera after the prize distribution
Dum Dum Park Bharat Chakra was declared The Telegraph Puja Premier League winners and awarded their trophy, certificate and winner’s cheque by Swastika Dutta, Richa Sharma, Krishnendu Guha of adda52 Online Poker and Samit Kumar Mandal and Sayan Chakraborty of SBIHM
Actress Arunima Ghosh took time out to interect with and personally congratulate The Telegraph Puja Premier League champions Dum Dum Park Bharat Chakra, whose pandal she had visited and rooted for in the final round of the competition.
The Telegraph Puja Premier League winners and runners-up with actresses (left to right) Arunima Ghosh, Richa Sharma and Swastika Dutta
(Left to right) SBIHM culinary dept senior professor Debopam Sinha, principal Samit Kumar Mandal and asst professors Sayan Chakraborty and Somanko Betal at The Telegraph Puja Premier League awards programme
“This is the first time that adda52 has participated in The Telegraph PPL. I want to say that the overall concept of the event is really nice. We are also grateful to be associated with such a prestigious, large-scale event and we are thankful to The Telegraph for giving us this opportunity. As for this evening’s programme, it was informal yet very well-planned and executed. I am really happy for the winners and congratulate all participants because all of them put up great shows for PPL.” — Krishnendu Guha, chief revenue officer, adda52 Online Poker
“Of all the competitions held among Durga Puja organising committees, PPL is unique and beautiful. Here, we concentrate on the cultural aspect of the celebration and the participation of members of the community. To be selected among the final 10 from such a huge number of participants, is itself a big achievement; and to be declared second runner-up has really made us very happy. We hope to be associated with PPL in the coming years also and also hope that we perform even better next year.” — Ajay Majumdar, secretary, Thakurpukur SB Park Sarbojonin, 2nd runner-up of PPL 2022
“I have been a part of The Telegraph PPL for the last five years and I think that the results they declare are always very fair and genuine. At the same time, I think it must be very difficult to select winners from so many outstanding Puja committees, especially this year, because I think all organisers have worked extra-hard to put up a good show after the restrictions of the last two years. I am confident that PPL is going to get better in the coming years, with greater variety and more excitement in store for us.” — Richa Sharma, actress
“I have been associated with PPL for many years now but this year I am feeling specially happy and elated because the club I represented during the final round has been declared champions! So I feel like a winner myself. I must add that The Telegraph Puja Premier League is a very good concept as it encourages Puja committees in a big way. And although it is definitely exciting to rank participants and announce winners, I think PPL goes beyond its competitive aspect. What is important is that all of us have gathered here as part of a large family, to enjoy and celebrate together the grand success of the event.” — Arunima Ghosh, actress
“Firstly, The Telegraph PPL is a source of great excitement and encouragement for our organising committee. It provides an opportunity to bring the people of the locality together who develop very good bonding when they plan and practice for various cultural and other activities to be staged for PPL. This evening’s programme was again a chance for us to make, renew and revive our friendship with other Puja committees of Kolkata. The programme was very enjoyable. I believe that the next editions of PPL are going to be even more fulfilling and I am looking forward to the experience already .” — Saswata Bose, secretary, Hatibagan Sarbojonin, 1st runner-up of PPL 2022
“We are very happy to be the winners of this year’s PPL. We have participated in PPL since the time of its inception and have won it earlier also. But this year’s victory seems special because of all the hard work and cooperation by each and every member of the committee and of course, the support given to us by The Telegraph. This event brings our neighbourhood together. Such events unify different Puja organisers and generate meaningful friendships through which we can together take the celebration of Durga Puja to new heights in the true sense.” — Pratik Choudhury, secretary, Dum Dum Park Bharat Chakra, winner of PPL 2022
“The Telegraph always comes up with new and exciting ideas to make the Pujas more attractive for Puja committees and the people as well. I think the PPL is much more than a competition among the Durga Puja organisers; it is actually a very good way of motivating them to do better and better, to come up with more meaningful themes and a more responsible and socially-conscious Puja. I am really glad that I have been a part of this year’s PPL and I want to thank The Telegraph for letting me be a part of this wonderful event.” — Swastika Dutta, actress
“I am very happy to be present at The Telegraph Puja Premier League awards programme. I think PPL is a unique initiative by The Telegraph as it promotes healthy competiton among local Puja committees on a very different level, unlike other competitions. On behalf of SBIHM group, I extend my heartiest congratulations to all, particularly the winners of PPL, Dum Dum Park Bharat Chakra and the winner of tonight’s poker match, Barisha Sarbojonin. I hope that just like our students have spread the name of SBIHM far and wide with their success, the participating clubs of the PPL also become renowned the world over for their excellence in organising Durga Puja.” — principal of SBIHM, Samit Kumar Mandal.
Pictures: Rashbehari Das