Singer Papon, who hails from Assam, today met West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during the opening ceremony of the Durand Cup, an over-100-year-old domestic football tournament in India.
The singer, who has made a name for himself with multiple hit songs in Bollywood, composed the new anthem for the Durand Cup, the oldest football tournament in Asia.
During the meeting, the West Bengal Chief Minister told Papon, in Assamese, that she understood Assamese, his mother tongue. She also praised him, saying that he had a beautiful voice.
The Lieutenant General, Rana Pratap Kalita, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Indian Army’s Eastern Command, who also happens to be an Assamese, was also present during the brief interaction.
Papon and Rewben Mashangva will give live performances for the 131st iteration of Asia's oldest football competition on August 16,17 and 18, respectively, in Kolkata, Guwahati, and Imphal.
"Papon, Shaan, and Rewben Mashangva feature in the song “Durand…Durand”. Join us as we support your favourite teams! Enjoy some soul-stirring moments with Papon & Rewben Mashangva's live performances on August 16 at YVBK in Kolkata, August 17 at IGAS in Guwahati, and August 18 at KLS in Imphal,” tweeted Durand Cup.
Papon adds a zing to the musical track that displays the people’s love for the game that has been an indispensable part of the sporting fraternity of the region.
Ahead of the unveiling of the song, Papon wrote on Twitter, "Off to Kolkata for unveiling of the #durandcup2022 Anthem in the opening ceremony of the prestigious event! 🏆⚽️♥️"
Manipur will be hosting the Durand Cup for the first time (Group C matches), marking a first for the legendary football competition, which is also being hosted in West Bengal and Assam.
The Manipur chapter of the competition will begin on August 18 at 6 p.m. at Khuman Lampak Main Stadium with the eagerly anticipated Manipur derby between NEROCA FC and TRAU FC. Army Red FT, Chennaiyin FC, Hyderabad FC, NEROCA FC, and TRAU FC are also in the group. There will be ten league games played in Imphal altogether.
Five locations—Khuman Lampak Stadium (Imphal), Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium (Guwahati), Naihati Stadium (Naihati), Kishore Bharati Krirangan, and Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan—will host games for the Durand Cup in 2022.