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Kolkata giants East Bengal on Tuesday officially announced Indian conglomerate Emami Group as their new investor ahead of the 2022-23 season. Both the parties signed the agreement and brought to life their joint venture 'Emami East Bengal'.
At a press conference, the club's executive committee official Debabrata ‘Nitu’ Sarkar underlined that the Red and Gold Brigade will take part in every major competition. He added that the club have 'nearly completed' the team-building process.
Debabrata Sarkar stated:
"We have nearly completed the team building process. Now the management and the head coach are looking for foreign players. Hopefully, within a few days, we will be able to acquire the targeted foreigners. By tomorrow, the coach is expected to get his visa and he'll travel to India soon. East Bengal will then start with their practice sessions,"
The representatives of the newly formed company further opened up about the share-holding structure of Emami East Bengal. Sarkar revealed:
"According to the agreement, East Bengal will retain 23% of the shares while Emami Ltd. will have 77%. The club will have three board members and the investors will have seven."
However, as stated earlier, no prefix will be added to the club's name despite Emami being the majority stakeholder and the side will play as East Bengal FC.
"A player who is not willing to win can't be in East Bengal" - Emami Group director Aditya Agarwal
The Emami Group is an age-old Kolkata-based conglomerate founded in 1974 by two friends, Radhe Shyam Agarwal and Radhe Shyam Goenka. However, this is not the first time that East Bengal and Emami Group are coming together. Emami was previously the club's title sponsor during the 1996-97 season.
Asked during the press conference what made the company become an investor in East Bengal this time around, Emami Group director Aditya V Agarwal responded:
"Your heart tells you to do something. Your brain tells you to do something. You don't always listen to your brain. When it comes to sports, art, or anything where passion is involved, it comes from your heart.
"My son plays football, and maybe that's what made me initiate this venture. I'm not looking for a reason, but what's important is how we bring pride to the state and the nation."
Quite like the previous two seasons, the Torchbearers have been late to enter the team-building party. Most of the prolific Indian talents have been snapped up by the usual ISL heavyweights. The question arises if the players acquired by East Bengal are capable enough to fight for victories. Agarwal underlined:
"A player who is not willing to win can't be in East Bengal. We're here to play and win. No one can win every day, but we'll give our hearts out."
The Kolkata giants will definitely need some work on and off the pitch to fight the top dogs after two consecutive disastrous seasons in the ISL. However, fans of the Red and Gold Brigade will hope the partnership between East Bengal and Emami is the start of a new and historic chapter in the club's history.
