TURA, AUG 11: Football with a difference titled – Freedom Challenge Cup, 9-a-side football tournament kicked off today at
Government Boy’s Higher Secondary School playground, Chandmari.
A total of 16 teams are taking part in the tournament, which culminates on August 15 to mark the 70th years of Independence. The teams are representing different freedom fighters as their squads.
The opening match of the tournament was played between Selsella Sports Association as “The Mangal Pandey Squad” and Modynagar Socio Cultural Club as “The Bahadur Shah Zafar Squad”.
In the thrilling opening match, The Mangal Pandey squad drubbed The Bahadur Shah Zafar squad by 4 – 1.
A total of four matches were played on the first day.
The other teams were – Waimong FC as “The Chandra Shekhar Azad Squad” vs BSF Meghalaya Frontier as “The Matmur Jamoh Squad”, Northern United as “The Mahatma Gandhi Squad” vs Rongkhon Sports Association as “The Rani Gaidinliu Squad” and Boca Juniors as “The Jawaharlal Nehru Squad” vs North Tura Welfare Club as “The Rani Laxmi Bai Squad”.
West Garo hills deputy commissioner Pravin Bakshi inaugurated the tournament, which is part of Freedom Fest, an event organised by district administration, sponsored and supported by Chief Minister’s Youth Development Scheme and Chief Minister’s Green Initiative and managed by William Initiative, a Tura based ngo and partnered by District Football Association, Tura.
“It is a unique concept to create sensitization amongst the youths of Garo hills about the contribution of freedom fighters”, said Bakshi. Terming that the tournament will be played in true sportsmanship spirit, he said, “The Freedom Challenge Cup will connect young and old in the spirit of independence”.
Gino Sangma, of William Initiative, said “People in Garo hills associates themselves with football, so we decided to celebrate Independence Day this year by organizing an event, which gives platform for football talents and opportunity for all of us to remember the contribution of great Indian heroes”.
Others who spoke on the occasion, included district sports officer Jasper P. Marak and project director District Rural Development Agency Dikki D. Shira.-From Our Correspondent
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