Bhaichung (top) and Dravid are slated to grace the celebrations

Jalpaiguri, Nov. 30: Celebrations, complete with celebrities, rallies and sporting events, have been lined up by Jalpaiguri District Sports Association (DSA) to commemorate its golden jubilee.

The year-long events will kick-off on December 8. The DSA, which has continued to produce star players, and athletes since its inception, will flag off the celebrations with a torch rally on the eve of its 50th birthday.

?Senior sportsmen will participate in the event,? said association secretary Anjan Sengupta. ?We have planned the celebrations in a systematic manner and spread out the events over an entire year,? he added.

The festivities will begin with a function at the sports complex, which is slated to be attended by eminent sports personalities, ministers and government officials.

?We will unfurl our club?s flag and bring out a rally that will wind through the town,? Sengupta said.

Indian football skipper Bhaichung Bhutia, Sukalyan Ghosh Dastidar, P.K. Banerjee and state sports minister Subhash Chakrobarty will be present at the inaugural function, during which the guests and organisers will also pay homage at the maus- oleum constructed in memory of former players of the district.

Former Indian cricket captain Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid are expected to come to Jalpaiguri in the third week of January.

?Urban development minister Asok Bhattacharya has promised to speak to these celebrities on our behalf and bring them to participate in the golden jubilee celebrations,? Sengupta said.

The DSA has also planned football, volleyball and cricket matches and an athletics meet as part of the bash.

?We are doing our best to organise football matches of the National B-group championship. There are plans to hold cricket matches of Ranji Trophy next year at the Sports Complex ground,? Sengupta said.

But for now, the DSA is concentrating on making the celebrations a success.

?We are positive that residents and people from other parts of the district will share the joy of celebrating the golden jubilee of this organisation, which has produced many national and international players and athletes,? Sengupta said.