01.

Bordoloi Trophy

Bordoloi trophy is the 2nd oldest invitational soccer tournament of Assam. Gauhati Town club took the initiative to start a major soccer tournament in Guwahati and it was kicked off in 1952 at the Judges Field. Railway Sports Club of Pandu won the first ever title of the meet while Union Sporting Club of Nagaon was the runners up. Later, the tournament was shifted to Nehru Stadium and the responsibility to host the meet was entrusted to Gauhati Sports Association. The trophy, named after Assam's first Chief Minister Gopinath Bordoloi, was donated by Bordoloi's close friend and noted physician of the city, Bhubaneswar Baruah, after whom the cancer hospital is named. In the early stage, the tournament was limited to the teams from Guwahati and its adjoining areas. Later, big teams from the different parts of the country started participating in it regularly. The first foreign team which participated in the Bordoloi trophy was Dhaka XI in 1972 and the side collected the runners-up trophy in their maiden appearance. Kolkata giants Mohun Bagan had won the title on maximum occasions - seven times (four of them came in consecutive years). Other two big clubs of Kolkata - East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting also won the titles on multiple occasions. East Bengal won it five times and Mohammedan Sporting on six occasions. Assam Police, who won Bordoloi trophy fourth times, are the most successful team from Assam in the competition.

Interesting facts:

• The tournament started in 1952 at the Judges Field.
• It was shifted to the present venue, Nehru stadium, in 1962.
• The inaugural edition was won by Railway Sports Club of Pandu.
• Dhaka XI were the first foreign team that took part in the tournament.
• Mohun Bagan won the title maximum times - seven.
• Assam Police has been the best performing team among the local outfits lifting the trophy on four occasions.
• The tournament witnessed its first all-foreign teams final in 1989 when Esteghlal club of Iran locked horns with Mohammedan Sporting Club of Dhaka.

02.

Independence Cup

Like Durand cup in India, Independence cup is the oldest invitational soccer tournament of Assam. Noted sports organizer Nurul Amin and few others like Ramnath Sarma were the key architects of the tournament which was rolled out in the year 1949 at Jubilee Ground, presently known as Nurul Amin Stadium. Marawari Yuvak Sangha donated the trophy which was first lifted by Bus Syndicate of Nagaon. Nagaon College was the runners-up in the inaugural edition. Presently the tournament is hosted by the Nowgang Sports Association.