The Durand Football Tournament was started at Dagshai in the year 1888 by Sir Henry Mortimer Durand, who was then, the Foreign Secretary to Govt of India from 1884 to 1894. Sir Mortimer was recuperating from illness at the Simla, in northern India. Having become conscious of the value of sport as a means to maintain health, he decided to present a prize to encourage sporting competition in India. At first it was effectively an Army cup, and largely the preserve of the British Indian Army troops in India.
BLACK WATCH AFTER WINNING THE DURAND CUP FOR THE THIRD CONSECUTIVE TIME IN 1899
Durand is the third oldest football tournament in the world and oldest in Asia and India. The original tournament committee had the Political Secy as ex-officio President and the local military officer as Hony Secy. Their Excellencies the Viceroy and Commander-in-Chief were the Patron-in-Chief and Vice Patron-in-Chief respectively. The legacy was taken over by the Services in the circumstances where neither the infrastructure nor favorable conditions for promotion of football were prevailing in the country. In the present avatar President of the society is Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee and other two Services Chief are Vice-President.
Till now the tournament has only been suspended only during First world war, Second world war and 1962 Sino-Indian conflict. . In 1940 the Durand Committee decided to hold the tournament at Delhi. In the same year, civil teams were also given permission to participate. That year Mohammedan Sporting Club won the tournament to record the first ever victory of a civilian team and lifted the coveted trophy.
PRESIDENT S.RADHAKRISHNAN PRESENTING PRESIDENT'S CUP TO MOHUN BAGAN IN 1965
The Tournament is also unique wherein the winning team walks away with three trophies. The Durand Cup and Shimla Trophy are Rolling Trophies while The President’s Cup first presented by Dr. Rajender Prasad is given to the team permanently.
GORKHA BRIGADE WITH PRESIDENT ZAKIR HUSSAIN AFTER WINNING DURAND CUP IN 1969
Durand Football tournament has been instrumental in promoting football and has seen ups and down of Indian Football. Durand has been constantly revising itself to remain relevant in ever evolving football arena. For the first time after 1940 Durand Cup was shifted out from Delhi to football loving region of Goa in 2014. Keeping in mind the football calendar of the country, DFTS has now decided to make it a biennial affair and change the format of 128th Edition which is being scheduled from 28 Aug to 11 Sep 2016 at Delhi.
Courtesy: Durand Football Tournament Society
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