Durand Cup 2023 is going to be held between August 03 and September 03: Indian Army.
Dipendu Biswas, former renowned striker of Indian National team, who is currently the football secretary of the I-League outfit Mohammedan Sporting Club. 
A graduate from the Tata Football Academy in 1996 this dedicated and passionate footballer had a vast fan following in his playing career.During 1990s, he had dominated the Indian Football and represented the country as well.Formed in February 1891, Mohammedan Sporting is one of the oldest active football clubs in the country.
This year Dipendu is the Team Manager of MSC in upcoming Durand.
Just Before this Glorious tournament a candid talk with Dipendu Biswas.
EXCERPTS:
This time it’s going to be a battle amongst the I-League, ISL and Armed Forces teams.What is your opinion on this?
In this year’s Durand Cup, all teams will enter the field with much more preparation. So this time it will be understood which team is the best ISL or I-League.
Say something about your Team’s preparation ?
We have already signed four new foreigners with the Durand Cup in mind this year. Our performance in Durand Cup last two years was quite good. Therefore, due to good results in the past, we have already recruited some foreign players from Ghana, Nigeria, Argentina and Uzbekistan. In the last two years, we have been a finalist in 2021 and semi-finalist in 2022 in the Durand.So Mohammedan is looking at Durand Cup very seriously this year as well. And we are moving forward with the goal of playing in the final.
Share some precious memories of Durand Cup ?
“As I feel Durand Cup has a great contribution behind footballer Dipendu Biswas’s career. In 1995-96 I participated in the Durand Cup on behalf of Tata Football Academy. I scored against Mohun Bagan in the semi-final that year. That match was the turning point of my football life. So from that Durand Cup I was established in Indian football. That’s why the Durand Cup is always a special tournament for me.
This year Durand Cup will be the season opener.What do you think?
It will be an advantage that this Durand will conquer the minds quickly among sports lovers. So from the beginning, I think there will be extra enthusiasm for the Durand this year.
Durand Cup then and now. What’s the difference?
Earlier the Durand Cup centered only around the city of Delhi. And this tournament used to be held in winter. But now it is spread over different states of India. So we can say that this year Durand is much bigger than before.
Durand Cup is a great platform for youngsters. Do you agree?
This is why the Durand Cup can be considered as a special platform for junior footballers. When we were in the Tata Football Academy we had chosen this tournament as the foundation of Indian football. Me, Deepak, Mahesh, Renedy we all came from this Durand and now the season is starting with this tournament. So junior footballers can prove themselves in Durand Cup and secure their place in ISL.
Any special message to the fans who will be following the tournament this season?
Durand Cup is going to be quite entertaining. Besides, being Durand of the three states, I think the attendance will be quite large. I hope most of the matches will be in Kolkata , so I would like to appeal to the sports lovers of Bengal to come to the field and encourage the teams.
He further said from next 12th June we are starting preparation for CFL and Durand Cup together. Under the supervision of Coach Mehrajuddin Wadoo and Assistant Coach Sahid Raman, Mohammedan Sporting Club is starting practice at their own ground.
Report: Pratyusha Mukherjee.
(Author is a Sr. journalist working in a Western media with 20 years of experience in covering the east and northeast, with specialisation in Defence and Sports. In her illustrated career she has covered many major events and achieved International and National media awards for Journalism).
