Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Maradona 'excited' to meet Sourav Ganguly

Football legend Diego Maradona is excited for his second visit to Kolkata and has already started the countdown.

The highlight of the Argentine's September 18-20 sojourn in the build up to the Durga Puja festival will be an exhibition match with former India captain Sourav Ganguly, titled 'Diego vs Dada'.


"Just 100 days to go for my Kolkata visit and meet 'Prince of Kolkata, Dada'," an excited Maradona posted on his official Facebook page.

According to organisers of the private trip to Kolkata, Maradona will send a pair of "autographed boot" for Ganguly to wear for this one-hour exhibition match which is likely to be held at the Aditya School of Sports in Barasat on the Mahalaya day of September 19.

Colombia football legend Carlos Valderrama is likely to join Maradona in the match which will also see Indian footballers, cricketers, Bollywood and Tollywood celebrities.

"Bhaichung Bhutia, Jose Barreto, Jo-Paul Ancheri and IM Vijayan have confirmed participation. While there will be Manoj Tiwary, Deep Dasgupta from the cricket fraternity. From the Bollywood industry, we are in talks with Ranveer Singh," promoter of the event Satadru Dutta said.

The venue will have a capacity for 20,000 spectators but according to Dutta only 5,000 would go up for sale while the remaining will be booked by the sponsors.

Maradona is scheduled to land in Kolkata on September 18 as he has a host of programmes lined up for him which will include inaugurating two Puja pandals in north and south Kolkata

He's also expected to unveil his statue at a pandal in Lake Town.

More For You

pharmacy

The UK spends just 9 per cent of healthcare budgets on medicines while patients face growing access gaps.

iStock

UK calls for new pharmaceutical investment to strengthen life sciences

Highlights

  • UK life sciences sector contributed £17.6bn GVA in 2021 and supports 126,000 high-skilled jobs.
  • Inward life sciences FDI fell by 58 per cent from £1,897m in 2021 to £795m in 2023.
  • Experts warn NHS underinvestment and NICE pricing rules are deterring innovation and patient access.

Investment gap

Britain is seeking to attract new pharmaceutical investment as part of its plan to strengthen the life sciences sector, Chancellor Rachel Reeves said during meetings in Washington this week. “We do need to make sure that we are an attractive place for pharmaceuticals, and that includes on pricing, but in return for that, we want to see more investment flow to Britain,” Reeves told reporters.

Recent ABPI report, ‘Creating the conditions for investment and growth’, The UK’s pharmaceutical industry is integral to both the country’s health and growth missions, contributing £17.6 billion in direct gross value added (GVA) annually and supporting 126,000 high-skilled jobs across the nation. It also invests more in research and development (R&D) than any other sector. Yet inward life sciences foreign direct investment (FDI) fell by 58per cent, from £1,897 million in 2021 to £795 million in 2023, while pharmaceutical R&D investment in the UK lagged behind global growth trends, costing an estimated £1.3 billion in lost investment in 2023 alone.

Keep ReadingShow less