Shillong, July 9: Three trophies of the 134th Indian Oil Durand Cup were showcased at the State Convention Centre, here on Wednesday.
The trophies will be touring the Shillong city, Nongstoin and Tura, allowing the public to have a closer view of the Asia’s oldest trophies before the tournament starts. The trophy roadshow kicked off from the venue at the State Convention Centre in the presence of Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, Sports Minister Shakliar Warjri, Air Marshal Suraj Singh, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Air Command, Lieutenant General Sanjay Malik, GOC 101 Area; Lieutenant General Mohit Malhotra, HQ Eastern Command Chairman DCOC; and several senior military officers, officials, and others.
Conrad, while expressing pride in hosting another season of the 5th oldest tournament in the world i.e. the 134th Edition of Durand Cup, said, “I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Indian Armed Forces for having selected Shillong also as one of the venues to host the 134th Durand cup. There will be eight matches at the J.N. Sports Complex, Shillong. We had a very successful season last year, where I can proudly say that Shillong was one of the best host, in terms of the field, the arrangements, and fan turnouts. I can assure you that this year also, it will be the same. We have more local teams participating this time, which makes it more engaging for the fans of Shillong and the people of Meghalaya.”
The way the government has supported sports in the last seven years, has been very different from what took place before that. In the last 7 years, close to 70% of the sports infrastructure in the state, has been created, and, close to around Rs 2000 crore has been invested in different projects pertaining to sports infrastructure.”
He said that the government is in process to construct the Mawkhanu Sports Complex, the largest dedicated football stadium in the country. He shared different sports infrastructural projects in the State, including the upgradation of J.N. Sports complex, Mawdiangdiang Sports Complex, PA Sangma Sports Complex at Tura, Integrated Hospitality and Sports Complex, Shillong, Wahiajer Sports Complex at Jowai, PA Togan Athletic Stadium at Tura, White Water Village at Umtham and Umiam, among others. He said the synthetic track for athletics will be created in every district headquarters of Meghalaya.
On behalf of the people of Meghalaya, Chief Minister expressed his pride in the Armed Forces for its bravery and ensuring a befitting reply, during the Operation Sindoor.
Shakliar Warjri, Sports Minister, in his address emphasised the state’s passion for football, citing the immense enthusiasm during the previous edition of the Durand Cup. He stated that the Government of Meghalaya is committed to providing top-notch facilities for the development of sports.The Minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment in developing sports infrastructure stating its plan to construct one of the biggest football stadiums in Asia, at Mawkhanu, with a capacity to host 40,000 people. He stated that the core aim of the government is to produce Olympians from the State of Meghalaya.
Notably, Hon’ble Minister also highlighted the sanctioning of Rs 39.17 crore in grants to 26 sports associations to support training ahead of the 2027 National Games, aiming for at least 50 medals.
Lieutenant General Sanjay Malik said, “It’s an honour to stand before you today as we prepare to bring before you one of the oldest Football Tournament- Durand Cup, back to the hills of Shillong. We are especially grateful to the Govt of Meghalaya for their unwavering support, for preparing the venue, and ensuring logistical and administrative support. Their role has been instrumental in making this leg of the tournament, a reality.” He said that the state government’s plan for the roadshow of the three iconic trophies, will inspire the young generation to pursue the game of football. He appreciated the Government of Meghalaya for also generously hosting the invited foreign team pro-bono, reflecting the hospitality and global outlook of the state of Meghalaya.
The event also saw the powerful and spirited rendition of the Meghalaya Durand Cup Theme Song: “Here we go”.
This year’s Durand Cup, scheduled from July 23 to August 23, will be held in five states- West Bengal, Jharkhand, Assam, Manipur, and Meghalaya. Shilling will host eight matches, including a quarterfinal and a semifinal, at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
