Kolkata Maidan’s rivalry at play in London’s football ground – Times of India

The age old rivalry — of the socio-cultural supremacy of “Bangal” (that’s what Bengalis from undivided India’s East Bengal side are called) and Ghoti (Bengalis from West Bengal) – was play in a fun-filled East Bengal-Mohun Bagan fans’ football tournament in London on Saturday.
The highlight of the fifth edition of Indian Fan’ Alliance (IFA) Shield UK 2022 at the Slough FC ground, Arbour Park, was the delectable “ilish-chingri” festival (“ilish” or hilsa fish symbolizes people from West Bengal and “chingri” or prawns their eastern counterparts). The organizers, Heritage Bengal Global (HBG), the Bengali diaspora in UK, had roped in Indian officials in the UK, to take play a match, as part of “Azadi Ki Mahotsav”, the 75th year of Indian Independence. They won the Aidias Super Shield 2022, defeating both East Bengal and Mohun Bagan fans teams.
Several entities from Bengal like Sister Nivedita University, IIHM, Aditya Academy, Aidias Consulting, iLEAD, Acquist Reality, Chess Solicitor and George Telegraph Institute supported the tournament, along with East Bengal and Mohun Bagan clubs themselves. Pointers Business Forum of Kolkata, a growing ecosystem of MSME businesses, was also a patron.
Indian Football Association’s honorary secretary Anirban Dutta praised the efforts to spread the sporting tradition of Bengal globally. Secretary of Mohammedan Sporting club, Dipendu Biswas, expressed his keen interest to collaborate in next year’s tournament, thus completing the trio along with East Bengal and Mohun Bagan.
Officers from the Royal Air Force (RAF) gave away prizes at the end of nearly six hours of football, fun and entertainment. Kreamz East Bengal kid fans won the Aditya Academy IFA Shield UK for Kids and HDFC Mohun Bagan women fans won the IIHM IFA Shield UK for Women. The coveted SNU IFA Shield UK for Men was won by Colours of India East Bengal fans team who defeated Chess Solicitors Mohun Bagan by a solitary goal in a keenly contested final.
Maidan legend Chima Okerie, a regular visitor in the annual tournament for last four years, essayed the role of the referee in the inaugural fans derby match. He also launched the IFA Shield UK 2022 theme song sung by Bollywood famed Amit Kumar on the match eve at Swami Vivekananda’s statue at Harrow.
HBG director Anirban Mukhopadhyay said, “This year’s success and enthusiasm have already caught the attention of the RAF and next year we might see all the three British armed forces participating. Do watch out for the Atlanta edition of Indian Fans’ Alliance Shield Global on 14 August and the Sydney edition on 26 November this year.”