Shillong: The three magnificent trophies of the 133rd Indian Oil Durand Cup were proudly displayed at a grand ceremony in Shillong at the U Soso Tham Auditorium in Secretariat Hills.
As the city gears up to host the prestigious football tournament for the very first time, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma hailed the efforts of the Durand Cup Organizing Committee in bringing about this historic moment for the State, which would put Shillong on the football map of the country.
The three trophies will tour the city and the surrounding districts, starting from the venue in the presence of Sangma, Air Marshal S.P. Dharkar, Air Officer Commanding in Chief Eastern Air Command, Lieutenant General Sanjay Malik, General Officer Commanding 101 Area, Maj. Gen. Rajesh A. Moghe, VSM, Vice Chairman of the Durand Cup Organising Committee, and a number of senior military and civil officials. The three trophies were flagged off on July 10th for a nationwide tour by the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, from the national capital.
Maj. Gen. Rajesh A. Moghe, VSM, welcomed and thanked the Chief Minister, state government officials, military officers, sponsors, organizers of the event, and the media personnel. He outlined the schedule of matches and wished the teams the best of luck on behalf of Lt. Gen. Ram Chander Tiwari, GOC-in-C Eastern Command and Patron of the Durand Cup Organising Committee.
Speaking on the occasion, Sangma said, “Football is the most loved and followed sport in Meghalaya and it is an absolute honour for us to host the prestigious Durand Cup for the first time. I urge all the football-loving people of the state to come and watch the matches, and I am sure that they will be entertained with some quality football games between top sides. I will be rooting for our favourite Shillong Lajong, and we look forward to competitive and exciting football matches in the coming days. I wish all visiting teams and guests a wonderful time in Shillong. I wish to place on record the excellent coordination between the Indian Army and the state government machinery for administrative support and infrastructure creation.”
Lieutenant General Sanjay Malik shared his thoughts, saying, “The Indian Army is proud to host this prestigious tournament in Shillong, as we continue with our commitment to spread the reach of the Durand Cup further into the region. In that spirit, Shillong will be hosting the prestigious tournament for the first time. We are sure that the football-loving state of Meghalaya is ready for a grand spectacle and that the youth will take immense inspiration from watching their favourite players in live action. On behalf of Lt. Gen. Ram Chander Tiwari, GOC-in-C Eastern Command and Patron of the Durand Cup Organising Committee, I thank the Chief Guest, state government, teams, players, and everyone involved in this year’s tournament for a memorable Durand Cup.”
Towards the end of the ceremony, Maj. Gen. Rajesh A. Moghe, VSM, along with the Secretary of Sports and Youth Affairs, Meghalaya, interacted and answered queries from media personnel.
The Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium will host Group F, consisting of local side Shillong Lajong FC, Indian Super League sides FC Goa, Hyderabad FC, and Nepal’s Tribhuvan Army Football Club. The first match will be played between Shillong Lajong FC and Tribhuvan Army FC on August 2nd, starting at 4 PM.
All matches of the Indian Oil Durand Cup will be broadcast live on the Sony Sports Network and can also be livestreamed on the SonyLiv OTT platform.
A total of 24 teams, including the three services teams and two services teams from Nepal and Bangladesh, will be seen in action across 43 matches, which will be played in the four host cities of Kokrajhar, Shillong, Jamshedpur (making their debut as host cities), and Kolkata, which will also host the grand final on August 31 at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK).
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A symbol of India’s football history and culture, the Durand Cup is Asia’s oldest and the world’s third oldest football tournament. Organised by the Indian Army on behalf of the three services, the Durand Cup has been the breeding ground for India’s best footballing talent over the years.
The inaugural edition happened in Shimla in 1888, and then the tournament moved to New Delhi in 1940, where it was held till 2016. In 2019, the tournament came under the aegis of the Eastern Command and moved to the eastern part of the country, with Kolkata, the Mecca of Indian football and the Eastern Command Headquarters, being the home base. What makes the Durand Cup even more unique is that the winners get three trophies: two rotating (Durand Cup and Shimla Trophy) and one for permanent keep (President’s Cup).
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