President unveils Durand Cup Trophies

President of India Unveils the Durand Cup Trophies 

By:
On:
In: India, Sports
Tagged: , , ,

New Delhi: The President of India, Draupadi Murmu, unveiled the Durand Cup trophies and flagged off the Trophy Tour for the 133rd edition of the prestigious tournament, at a grand ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhawan Cultural Centre on Wednesday. In what was a truly historic occasion for Indian sport, as the President, the First Citizen and the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, once again blessed the historic tournament with active participation, a tradition begun long back by none other than the first President of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad.

The President alluded to the fact that football was one of the most popular sports in the world and that when professional footballers played in front of thousands, the excitement of players and spectators increased manifold. The President also extended her best wishes to all the players participating in the 133rd edition of the Durand Cup.

The ceremony also saw the presence of the General Anil Chauhan PVSM UYSM AVSM SM VSM ADC, Chief of Defence Staff, General Upendra Dwivedi PVSM AVSM, Chief of the Army Staff, Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi PVSM, AVSM, NM, Chief of the Naval Staff and Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh PVSM, AVSM, Vice Chief of the Air Staff.

Sharing his thoughts on the momentous occasion, Lt. Gen. Ram Chander Tiwari, UYSM, AVSM, SM, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Command and the patron of the tournament, said, “It is indeed a huge honor today for all of us and a huge occasion for Indian football. I do not think any sport or tournament in India has had this honor of the President unveiling the trophies or flagging-off the trophy tour. It shows the deep respect the President has for Armed Forces traditions and legacy. The responsibility is now on us to deliver to the highest expectations of all and we are confident of doing so.”

The 133rd edition is set to begin in Kolkata on July 27, with Kokrajhar (Assam), Shillong (Meghalaya) and Jamshedpur (Jharkhand) also hosting many of the 43 games this year. The Durand Cup Trophies will travel across the country starting today.