Bengal coach and former India cricketer Laxmi Ratan Shukla has appealed to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to extend assistance to ailing state cricketer Akash Biswas, who is in urgent need of a kidney transplant, a senior official said on Friday.
Akash, who plays for Kalighat Sporting Club, has been suffering from chronic kidney disease for a prolonged period.
"Both his kidneys have failed, and doctors have advised immediate transplantation. While his mother's kidney has been found to be a match, the family is struggling to arrange the high cost of the surgery," a senior official of the club said.
Shukla has previously extended financial help to the young cricketer, handing over Rs two lakh around six months ago for medical treatment.
On Thursday, Akash met Shukla at the Bengal training session at Jadavpur University's Second Campus in Salt Lake.
Terming the situation unfortunate, Shukla said, "Akash is a fighter and I am confident he will recover and return to the field. But for that, everyone needs to stand by him. I appeal to all to come forward and help him with his treatment." A leg-spinner who can also bat, Akash has been a key contributor to Kalighat Sporting Club's consistent performances.
However, with both kidneys non-functional, a transplant remains the only option to save his life, an expense well beyond the means of a professional club cricketer.
In a bid to support the life-saving procedure, Shukla has now approached the chief minister seeking government intervention.
A senior official from the Chief Minister's Office said the appeal has been received.
"The matter is under consideration. The chief minister has always been supportive of sportspersons from the state, and necessary steps will be examined," the official said.
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