Infrastructural work ongoing at Everest Cricket Club

– Bank of Baroda, Chinese Embassy make donations

By Timothy Jaikarran

In a simple ceremony held in the members pavilion at the Everest Cricket Club, both the Bank of Baroda and the Chinese Embassy made valuable donations to the Everest Cricket Club for infrastructural works ongoing there.

The Bank of Baroda’s donation would help to upgrade the Billiards Room. It would then be renamed the Bank of Baroda VIP Lounge. The Chinese Embassy has also provided a hybrid solar system that would help to power the club during the day.
Representing Bank of Baroda was Managing Director Arun Kumar Gupta, alongside High Commissioner of India His Excellence Dr KJ Srinivasa; and from the Chinese Embassy was Charge d’Affairs Chen Xilai (Chen See-lai).
Opening the floor in his address at the appreciation ceremony was Indian High Commissioner His Excellency Dr KJ Srinivasa, who said, “As you all know, we are very proud of Bank of Baroda. It’s the third largest public sector bank in India. They have been serving hundreds of millions of customers. And for us, it’s a proud moment, because Indian Bank of Baroda has recently signed up for low-cost housing schemes where they will be contributing to the low- and middle-class people who want to own a house; and at the same time, as you all know, cricket is a religion in India, and for us, coming to such hallowed grounds, which is over 107 years old, I believe this is the place where I think the legend from India played once in the 60s and the 70s. So, I think this will be a valuable addition by the Bank of Baroda, to the cricket ground.”

Also sharing his sentiments was Bank of Baroda Managing Director Arun Kumar Gupta, who noted that while cricket is a popular game in Guyana, he is grateful that the Everest Cricket Club has played its part in taking the game a far way.
Gupta also went on to state that Bank of Baroda has been in Guyana since 1966, and both these institutions have been serving Guyanese people, and thus it is very natural for Bank of Baroda to have a strong bonding relationship with the club.
Charge d’Affairs Chen Xilai of the Chinese Embassy related that while the Club boasts a strong cricketing background, table tennis is also played, and he has played with Club President Manzoor Nadir. He noted that it goes to show that cricket and table tennis can co-exist as well as different cultures.

Xilai said the embassy has been supporting sports in Guyana for over the last decade, and is hopeful that in the future things would be better for all athletes in Guyana.
In closing the proceedings, Everest Cricket Club President and Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Manzoor Nadir, was very grateful to the two institutions for their timely donation to club.
“We are very honoured to be supported by these two institutions, the Bank of Baroda and the People’s Republic of China. Two very significant projects in the renovation of the Everest Cricket Club, improvement in the facilities is more particularly preparing our club so that once there is an ease, and a relaxing of the COVID protocol, persons can make full use of the facilities,” Nadir said.

Nadir went on to state that with the donation of the hybrid solar system, things would be much better than before, as sports organisations have to pay electricity at the commercial rate, and not the residential. Hence, with the timely donation in two months’ time, the Everest Club would be powered by solar during the day.