Nalbari: The Mukalmua Anchalic Sports Association (MASA) emerged champions of the Bhubaneswar Kalita Memorial Super Division Football League after defeating Chamta Regional Sports Association 5–4 in a thrilling penalty shootout during the final match held on Saturday night at the Government Gordon Higher Secondary School playground.
Chamta’s Rahul Barman, wearing jersey number 17, gave his team an early lead in the 24th minute. However, Mukalmua’s Abu Achman, also donning the number 17 jersey, netted an equalizer in the 77th minute, forcing the game into a penalty shootout where Mukalmua triumphed.
Rahul Barman of Chamta Regional Sports Association was named Best Player of the final, while Mukalmua’s Apurba Dutta received the Best Goalkeeper award. The tournament was organized by Dulumani Talukdar, Bhaskarjyoti Dutta, Dandir Ram Kalita, Ainuddin Ahmed, and Maidul Islam.
The opening ceremony featured a touching tribute to Assam’s beloved artiste Zubeen Garg, where Manoj Kumar Choudhury, vice president of the Nalbari Sports Association and a former national volleyball player, lit the ceremonial lamp, assisted by Pratha Pratim Lahkar, assistant secretary of the association. Floral tributes were offered by District Sports Officer of Nalbari, Luthuraj Basumataty, Ajit Sharma, Principal of Debiram Higher Secondary School, Bikash Bhattacharya, Secretary of Chamta Regional Sports Association, and Nekibuddin Ahmed, Joint Secretary of Mukalmua Regional Sports Association.
In memory of retired army officer Bhubaneswar Kalita, his son Abhijit Kalita, Assistant Secretary of the Assam Football Association, lit a lamp alongside the office bearers of the organizing association. The event was formally inaugurated by Jayanta Bujarbaruah, President of the Nalbari District Committee of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The Nalbari Sports Association noted a surge in sports activities across the district since Cabinet Minister Jayanta Mall Baruah took charge as its president. Baruah expressed gratitude to all association officials for their dedicated efforts in promoting football and youth sports.
The event was attended by key members of the Nalbari Sports Association, including general secretary Bubul Talukdar, Treasurer Pankaj Deka, football secretary Ratul Goswami, referees board secretary Gautam Kalita, former football secretary Dilip Medhi, and other officials.
