HP outfit beats Scholar FC 2-1 as Gold Cup begins

Dharamsala, April 30

The 32nd edition of All-India Major Durgamal-Captain Dal Bahadur Memorial Gold Cup was inaugurated by Kangra Deputy Commissioner Hemraj Bairwa at Police Grounds, Dharamsala. On Monday, the first match was played between HPFA and Scholar FC Jalandhar, in which HPFA won 2-1.

The opening ceremony was marked by the presence of Dhan Kumari Joshi, first secretary of B P Koirala India-Nepal Foundation and Dil Kumari Bhandari former MP of Sikkim and wife of Late Nar Bahadur Bhandari former CM of Sikkim. It is pertinent to mention here that Bhandari had been instrumental during her tenure as MP in installing a statue of Shaheed Maj Durgamal (INA) in the Parliament Complex in 2004. She also played a pivotal role in getting the Nepali language admitted in the 8th Schedule of our Constitution in 1992.

The popular football tournament is set to conclude on May 3. This year 12 teams will be participating in the competition. Association president Major Hemant Gurung said 10 matches would be played during the three-day event. Teams from different parts of India — namely, RBI Mumbai, CAG Delhi, Indian Air Force, Garhwal Rifles and others will compete.

The winners will be awarded one lakh rupees and a running trophy, while the runners-up team will get 50 thousand rupees. On this occasion, association officials Vijay Bhandari, PJ Pradhan, RS Rana, Vinod Kumar Thapa, Colonel Mohindra Singh Karki, K Sarwan Thapa, Pranav Sachdeva, Rajesh Thapa, Kamal Kishore Thapa and Madhusudan Gurung were present.