Army's Durand Cup Body Donates ₹25 Lakh to Assam CM Relief Fund
Synopsis
The Durand Football Tournament Society, the Indian Army body behind Asia's oldest football tournament, donated ₹25 lakh to Assam's Chief Minister's Relief Fund. Eastern Command chief Lt Gen V.M. Bhuvana Krishnan handed over the cheque to Minister Biswajit Daimary. CM Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed gratitude for the contribution.
Key Takeaways
Bhuvana Krishnan , GOC-in-C of the Eastern Army Command, personally handed over the donation.
The Durand Football Tournament Society contributed ₹25 lakh to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund of Assam.
The Durand Cup , organised by the Society, is Asia's oldest football tournament, dating to 1888 .
The funds go into Assam's primary disaster relief mechanism, which supports flood-affected families each monsoon season.
CM Himanta Biswa Sarma publicly acknowledged and expressed gratitude for the contribution via the CMO's official account.
Asia's oldest football tournament has just made a pitch for flood-hit Assam. Lt Gen V.M. Bhuvana Krishnan, PVSM, AVSM, YSM, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Indian Army's Eastern Command, handed over a ₹25 lakh contribution from the Durand Football Tournament Society to Assam Minister Shri Biswajit Daimary for the Chief Minister's Relief Fund on Monday, August 10, 2026. Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed gratitude for the donation through the CMO's official account.
From the football pitch to flood relief
The Durand Football Tournament Society is the Indian Army-affiliated body that organises the Durand Cup — a tournament that has been running since 1888, making it the oldest football tournament in Asia and one of the oldest in the world. That a sporting body with such a legacy is channelling funds into disaster relief is no accident. The Eastern Command has long maintained a dual identity in the Northeast: a military force and a first-responder institution in a region battered by annual floods.Why the CM's Relief Fund matters in Assam
The Chief Minister's Relief Fund is Assam's primary instrument for delivering immediate assistance to victims of natural calamities. Assam's Brahmaputra basin floods affect millions of residents and thousands of hectares of agricultural land every monsoon season. Contributions like this ₹25 lakh donation feed directly into that emergency pipeline — disbursements for temporary shelter, food, and rehabilitation for the worst-hit families. The Eastern Command's humanitarian footprint in Assam is well established — from deploying rescue columns during peak flood events to coordinating with the State Disaster Response Force. This financial contribution extends that tradition into the civic sphere, with a military-affiliated sporting institution stepping in as a donor. The handover, received by Minister Biswajit Daimary on behalf of the state, signals the kind of civil-military coordination that Assam's disaster management apparatus has come to rely on. CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, who has led the state since May 2021, acknowledged the gesture publicly — a recognition that in a flood-prone state, every contribution counts and every partnership matters.Point of View
Publicly acknowledging such contributions reinforces a narrative of whole-of-society disaster preparedness ahead of Assam's perennially difficult flood season. The gesture also subtly positions the Durand Cup — historically a Delhi-Kolkata affair — as an institution with a stake in the wider Northeast. Whether this signals a deeper engagement with Assam as a future Durand Cup venue is a question worth watching.
NationPress
10 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Durand Football Tournament Society?
The Durand Football Tournament Society is an Indian Army-affiliated body that organises the Durand Cup, Asia's oldest football tournament, which has been held since 1888.
Why did the Eastern Army Command donate to Assam's relief fund?
The Eastern Army Command, through the Durand Football Tournament Society, donated ₹25 lakh to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund as a welfare contribution, continuing the Army's tradition of humanitarian support in flood-prone Assam.
What is Assam's Chief Minister's Relief Fund used for?
The Chief Minister's Relief Fund is used to provide immediate financial assistance to victims of natural calamities in Assam, particularly the annual Brahmaputra floods that affect millions of residents.
Who received the ₹25 lakh donation on behalf of Assam?
Minister Biswajit Daimary received the ₹25 lakh contribution on behalf of the Assam government from Lt Gen V.M. Bhuvana Krishnan of the Eastern Army Command.
What did CM Himanta Biswa Sarma say about the donation?
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed gratitude for the generous contribution, with the acknowledgement posted through the official Chief Minister's Office account on X.
