Sonitpur: The first women's football match of the Women Sentinel’s Cup organised by Assam Rifles was held in Lakhra, Sonitpur on Sunday in the presence of several dignitaries and teams from multiple states of the region.
Governor Gulab Chand Kataria attended the match as the chief guest of the event. The first match of the football tournament was played on Sunday at the Assam Rifles ground at Lakhra in Sonitpur district under the initiative of the Assam Rifles, also known as the Sentinels of the North East. During his speech, the Governor of Assam said that Assam Rifles is spearheading women's football competitions across the North East region to foster the growth of the sport, particularly women's football.
Meanwhile, multiple women's football teams from North Eastern states, including Assam, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Tripura, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh, and one from the Director General Assam Rifles Women Football Team are participating in this tournament.
Padma Shri and Arjuna Award Winner Oinam Bembem Devi, former Captain of India's Women's Football team, graced the opening ceremony of the competition. A large number of officials from the Assam Rifles were also present. The Director General Assam Rifles Women's Football Team won the opening match that they played against the Assam Women's Football Team.
This tournament started on June 30 and will continue till July 13. The opening ceremony, league matches, and semi-finals were held at Lakhra in the Sonitpur District from June 30, 2024, onwards while the final match will take place at Laitkor, Shillong, on July 13, 2024. This championship aims to promote women’s football in the region, foster teamwork and competition, and empower women through sports.
It must be noted that football has immense popularity in the Northeastern part of the country. But women's football is yet to travel a long distance to be at par with men’s football.
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