Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Guwahati: Guwahati hosted the 135th IndianOil Durand Cup launch at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Sarusajai. This marks the formal start for Asia's oldest football tournament. The Indian Army and the Government of Assam teamed up to organize the event.
Big names filled the stands. Assam Sports and Youth Welfare Minister Biswajit Daimary attended alongside Finance, Environment and Forest, and Mines and Minerals Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah. Indian Oil Corporation Chairman Arvinder Singh Sahney joined them. Military brass also showed up in force. Lieutenant General V.M. Bhuvana Krishnan, the Eastern Command head, stood with Lieutenant General R.P. Kalita (Retd.), Gajraj Corps commander Lieutenant General Neeraj Shukla, and Red Horns Division leader Major General Rohin Bawa.
The show pulled out all the stops. Spectators watched aerial stunts featuring hot air balloons, combat free-fall displays, aeromodelling, and precision helicopter flypasts. The Indian Army Jazz Band, Pipe Band, and NCC Girls Band played for the crowd. A military dog show kept the energy high before the Assam Regiment sang their signature track, Badluram Ka Badan. Local culture took center stage with Bagurumba, Bardwi Sikhla, and Bhortal dance performances.
The organizers emphasized the competition's role in building national spirit. They said the "IndianOil Durand Cup continues its long-standing legacy of promoting sporting excellence, national integration and youth engagement." The tournament aims to turn Assam into a primary destination for sports through this joint military and state effort.
The ceremony wrapped up fast. NorthEast United FC faced Bodoland FC in the opening Group F match.
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