State prepares for Durand Cup, CM unveils trophies
Source: Chronicle News Service / DIPR

Imphal, July 27 2022: Chief minister N Biren on Wednesday unveiled the trophies for the 131st Durand Cup 2022 football tournament at City Convention Centre, here in the presence of his ministerial colleagues and senior military officials.

Speaking at the unveiling event, CM Biren appealed to the people of Manipur to witness the matches and encourage the players and organisers of the Cup, who brought the prestigious competition to provide exposure to the sporting talents.

For the first time, Imphal will host 10 group matches of the Durand Cup, the oldest football tournament in Asia, from August 18 till September 5.Other matches of the tournament will also be played in Assam and West Bengal.

After unveiling all three Durand Trophies, the President's Cup, the Durand Cup and the Shimla Trophy, the chief minister termed as a matter of great pride and privilege to be present at the monumental event of the unveiling ceremony and thanked the Indian Army and the organisers for bringing the iconic tournament to the "Football passionate state Manipur" .

"I wish the 131st edition of Durand Cup 2022 all the very best and I assure all support in making the tournament bigger and better than the previous years," he said and further wished the participating teams.

While stating that Manipur is one of the states producing the highest number of Indian Super League players, he also recounted the days he himself played in the tournament as a left defender for the BSF in the 1981 edition in which his team won the trophy at Ambedkar Stadium, New Delhi.

CM Biren said that the Durand Cup matches happening in Imphal is like personally walking down the memory lane.

Highlighting the sacrifices of the Indian Army for the Nation, he said that to further strengthen the bond with the armed forces, the Cabinet increased the amount of award given to gallantry award winners of the armed forces to Rs 25 lakh from a paltry sum earlier.

He said Manipur has the highest per capita officers in Armed forces in the country and further congratulated the Red Shield Division for their initiative to launch an outreach programme to train and groom the youth of Manipur for entry into NDA, IMA and OTA.

Reflecting on the state's sporting prowess, the Chief Minister said Manipuri sportspersons are playing in various disciplines and bringing laurels for the nation.

In his address, Army's Eastern Command chief and Durand Organising Committee chairman Lt Gen Repswal said: "It is wonderful to be in Manipur, a state that has contributed so much to Indian football.

It is no surprise to all of us that the Chief Minister Biren Singh himself is a past football professional and we are honoured by his presence here today on this historic occasion.

The cooperation from the Manipur government has been hugely encouraging and exceptional.

The support has been overwhelming and has further boosted our spirits in our endeavour to promote and spread the spirit of Durand further East." The unveiling ceremony was also attended by Affairs and Sports minister Govindas Konthoujam, chief secretary Dr Rajesh Kumar, Major General Navin Sachdeva, IGAR (S) Major General Sharawat, Lieutenant General (Retd) K Himalaya Singh, Padma Shri and Arjuna awardee footballer O Bembem, Padma Shri awardee Rewben Mashangva and former Indian National player P Renedy Singh among others.

The 131st edition of the Durand Cup will be played at the five venues - Khuman Lampak Stadium (Imphal), Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium (Guwahati), Naihati Stadium (Naihati), Kishore Bharati Krirangan and Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (Kolkata).

Altogether 20 teams, including defending champions FC Goa and runners up Mohammedan Sporting, 11 teams from the Indian Super League, four Services team, NEROA FC, TRAU FC, SUDEVA FC of Delhi and Rajasthan United FC will vie for the top honours.

After the unveiling ceremony, The Durand Cup (a rolling trophy and the original prize), the Shimla Trophy (also a rolling trophy and first given by the residents of Shimla in 1904) and the President's Cup (for permanent keep and first presented by Dr Rajendra Prasad, India's first President, in 1956) were taken to the historic Imphal Polo ground where the game of Polo first originated, escorted by 100 bikers.

From there it proceeded to Leimakhong.

There will be a total of 47 games in the 131st Durand Cup edition, with both Guwahati and Imphal hosting 10-games of group C and group D each.

All seven knockout games will be held in three venues in West Bengal.

The opening pool matches are slated to begin on August 16 at Kolkata's VYBK, on August 17 at Guwahati's Indira Gandhi Athletic stadium and on August 18 at Khuman Lampak stadium.

Comment