JAIPUR: It was a wonderful and unforgettable moment for the sports lovers of Jaipur when Major General Rai Singh Godara, GOC of 61 Sub Area of Indian Army and other dignitaries flagged off the 'Trophy Tour' of the 132nd edition of Durand Cup, India's oldest football tournament.
Major General Rai Singh Godara, General KK Repswal, SM, VSM Retired; Brigadier Kuldeep Gulia, Indian Army (Retd) and Colonel Navneet Singh Thiara, Nodal Officer of Durand Cup Committee were the special guests of this grand ceremony organised at Rajasthan International Center Jaipur.
It is noteworthy that the Durand Cup Football Tournament Society has a CDS President, and three service chiefs are its Vice Presidents. This tournament will be held in Kolkata from August 3 to September 3, 2023.
RTDC Chairman Dharmendra Rathore said, "It is right that unlike other sports such as cricket, people in the state are less aware about football. Now, the state government has dedicated Vidhyadhar Nagar stadium only for football. It is our effort that all sports are promoted whether it is kho-kho, kabaddi or football."
He said that the state government had organised rural Olympics, which connected young and old generations. He said that a better future is waiting for sports and especially football in Rajasthan.
Agriculture Minister Lal Chand Kataria said that in the coming times the younger generation will take inspiration. Organising such events boosts morale and raises awareness of the young generation. He said that Rajasthan has given several football players.
"Durand Cup will fill the gaps that came in the popularity of football. The popularity also decreased due to the craze for cricket. I believe that when chances are given, the younger generation takes inspiration and follows it," Kataria said.
He said that the state government has given 2% reservation to sportspeople in the government to encourage sports.
On this occasion, Water Resources Minister Mahendrajeet Singh Malviya said, "This tournament has established its name in the country and abroad. I hope that we will continue to progress in the coming times. We are happy to be part of the Trophy Tour ceremony of the tournament."
Major General Rai Singh Godara, GOC of 61 Sub Area of Indian Army said, "I am honoured to be receiving the spectacular Durand trophy here as part of the celebration of the 132nd Durand cup tournament. The Indian army on behalf of armed forces has been organising this prestigious tournament. The legacy tournament is all set to become bigger with Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh participating in the tournament."
He said that the Indian army has been providing support to players and in return players have brought laurels. Rajasthan has been at the forefront in sports and with the emergence of RUFC, very soon the state will bring glory in football as well. He wished the tournament a grand success.
On this occasion, Dr Ashutosh Pant, Independent Director & Chairman, CSR Committee, Indian Oil Corporation Limited; Chairman of Rajasthan United Football Club (RUFC) Krishan Kumar Tak also presented their views.
Founder Director of RUFC and former national footballer Rajat Mishra and Kamal Singh Saroha, Girish Rathod and Swapnil Dhaka were present besides young football lovers and eminent sports personalities present on the occasion.
Before the flag-off ceremony, the unveiling ceremony of the Durand Cup trophies was held. At the beginning of the ceremony, information about the Durand Cup was given through a presentation by Colonel Navneet Singh Thiara.
The inaugural ceremony was held under the aegis of HQ 61 Sub Area, Sapta Shakti Command in collaboration with Rajasthan United Football Club (RUFC) which is also a participating team in the tournament this year. The event was graced by the presence of various dignitaries, military and police officials, sports enthusiasts as well as the students from Army Public School, KV No 2 & KV No 4 and NCC Cadets. The Durand Cup Trophy Tour is being hosted by RUFC in Jaipur.
According to Rajat Mishra, the founder directors of RUFC and former national footballer, RUFC achieved great success in the 131st Durand Cup tournament in the very first year of its entry last year, defeating heavyweights Mohun Bagan and reaching the quarterfinals. He further added that buoyed by the success of RUFC and the growing passion for football in Rajasthan, we are proud and delighted to host the Durand Cup Trophies Tour for the second year in a row."
The Durand Cup football tournament is a national heritage. It shows the strength and unity of our armed forces, which are among the best in the world. This tournament is a unique opportunity to bring together sports lovers from across India through football and is a celebration of the game in a way.
A tour of trophies which are presented to the winners of Durand Cup, namely President Cup, Durand Cup and Shimla Cup is being undertaken to enhance awareness about sports especially football, increasing sports culture and empowering sports eco system in our nation. The trophies will arrive at Jaipur from Delhi and will be toured around the city at various locations to include Rajasthan International Center at Jhalana Doongri, SMS Stadium, Amar Jawan Jyoti, Vidhansabha, Ajmeri Gate, Ramniwas Garden & Albert Hall.
The Trophy tour will cover various parts of the country to include locations of Command HQs of Indian Army, Indian Air Force, Indian Navy and cities from where various teams are participating in the Durand Cup Tournament. The Trophy tour will also be conducted at Kochi, Kokrajhar, Guwahati, Shilong, Kolkata, Udhampur, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Aizawl.
