Pioneer News Service
Ranchi
The Indian Oil Durand Cup, Asia’s oldest football tournament, kicked off with a grand and colorful ceremony on Sunday at the Birsa Munda Football Stadium in Morabadi, Ranchi.
The inauguration was attended by several distinguished guests, including State Sports Minister Sudivya Kumar and Rajya Sabha MP Mahua Maji. They encouraged the players and extended their best wishes for the successful hosting of the 135th edition of the tournament. The stadium was packed with enthusiastic spectators, and a vibrant football fervor was felt across the entire complex.
The event began with a thrilling fly-past by an Indian Army Cheetah helicopter, captivating the audience. The Army’s Pipe and Drum Band created a patriotic atmosphere with a splendid musical display.
Soldiers of the Gorkha Battalion delivered a moving performance to patriotic songs like “Kandhe Se Milte Hain Kandhe” and “Vande Mataram”, while troops from the Sikh Regiment energised the crowd with traditional Bhangra. A major highlight was the artists’ performance to the official Durand Cup theme song, “Khelenge… Khelenge… Dil Se Khelenge”. Colorful lighting, cultural acts, and patriotic fervor made the inauguration unforgettable.
Following the opening ceremony, the inaugural match in Ranchi was played between Jamshedpur FC and Sri Lanka’s Defenders FC (representing the Sri Lankan Armed Forces, making their Durand Cup debut). Jamshedpur FC defeated Defenders FC 5–0 to start their Group-C campaign on a high note. Player of the Match Performance: Debutant Reynier Fernandes starred with a brilliant hat-trick. Aman C.K. and Devendra Dhaku Murgaokar added a goal each.
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, it has served as a breeding ground for India’s finest football talent for well over a century.
The inaugural edition was held in Shimla in 1888 before the tournament moved to New Delhi in 1940. In 2019, the Durand Cup came under the aegis of the Eastern Command and shifted to Kolkata, the football heartland of the East and the headquarters of the Eastern Command. Since then, the tournament has expanded from a single-city competition into a multi-city, multi-state sporting spectacle while preserving the traditions and values that have defined it for more than 138 years.
