30/07/2026
On July 30, 2026, a joyous and patriotic program was organized to celebrate the 80th Independence Day and to grandly inaugurate the Men's Open Football Tournament for the Late Jaya-Laxmi Koirala Memorial Cup. The day began with the committee warmly welcoming the arrival of the distinguished guests. The program was graced by the honorable presence of the Chief Guest, Hon'ble Area MLA of 16 Tumin Lingee Constituency and STCS Chairman Mr. Samdup Tshering Bhutia, and the Special Guest, Zilla Adhakshya of Gangtok District Mr. Balaram Adhikari. The inauguration ceremony formally commenced with an address by Samdong Gram Panchayat and key football committee member Mr. Mahendra Khulal. The event was attended by notable figures including L.M. Sir, P.K. Karki, OSD to the MLA Mr. Keshav Nepal, OSD to AYUSH Mrs. Dina Gautam, and the Gram Panchayat Presidents and members of all GPUs, along with a large number of spectators. Similarly, prominent political and community leaders such as CLC President Mr. Rajendra Dhakal, General Secretary Mr. Y.P. Adhikari, Panchayat Cell District President Mr. Harihar Guragain, and CLC Vice President Mr. T.T. Bhutia were also present. Additionally, there was enthusiastic participation from CLC executive members, party workers, women and youth coordinators, social media personnel, dedicated doctors and staff of Samdong PHC, local police and SIB personnel, students, football teams, and referees.
The cultural and sports activities began with a captivating Bhutia dance performed by the students, which set a lively mood for the day. This was followed by the much-awaited exhibition football match, marking the formal start of the sporting events. This highly competitive exhibition match was played between the Women's Panchayat team and the Women's Primary Health Centre (PHC) team. At the end of a very thrilling game, the Women's Panchayat team secured a victory in a dramatic penalty shootout. Following this exciting start, the Chief Guest delivered an inspiring speech to the participants and everyone present, formally inaugurating the competitive matches of the tournament.
Once the official tournament matches began, the competitive spirit remained high. The first official inaugural match was played between PM Shri Samdong SSS and S.Y.D.S. Raley. Displaying excellent on-field tactics, S.Y.D.S. Raley successfully won the game. During the halftime of this first match, students entertained the audience by performing a beautiful Nepali dance. After the scheduled lunch break for all participants and guests, the sporting atmosphere heated up again, and the second official match was played between Nutmeg FC and Middle Samdong. Delivering an outstanding and impressive performance, Nutmeg FC thrilled the spectators with spectacular "flying goals" and secured a brilliant victory in the match. To make the second half of the day even more engaging, students performed a traditional Lepcha dance during the halftime of the second match.
This event presented an excellent blend of sporting excellence and rich cultural heritage. During the closing ceremony of the program, Mr. Kamal Bhattarai delivered the Vote of Thanks. He successfully concluded the program by expressing heartfelt gratitude to the distinguished guests, volunteers, organizers, and the enthusiastic local community for making the first day of the tournament a grand success.