Shillong, Aug 28: Wahingdoh Sports Club has achieved another milestone and will be celebrating its platinum jubilee (1946-2021) on Sunday.
The club had celebrated its silver jubilee in 1971 and its golden jubilee in 1996.
The club was formed to unite the youth of the locality as there was a faction among the youth at one point of time with two clubs – ‘Samla Wahingdoh Sports Club’ and the ‘Wahingdoh Student’s Sports Club,’ vying with each other.
While speaking to reporters, platinum jubilee convener, Farewell Nongkynrih on Saturday informed that the Rangbah Shnong of the locality during that point of time, late Nondro Mohon Roy Hynñiewta made all effort to convene a meeting which was held on August 29, 1946 on the need to have only one sports club in the locality. According to him, the 24 youths of the locality who attended that meeting in the presence of the Rangbah Shnong had unanimously decided to form the “Synjuk Wahingdoh Sports Club”.
He however, informed that the first general meeting of the club was held only on May 26, 1947 where it was decided to have five more founding members who had worked very hard to lay the foundation of the sports club. “Out of the 30 founding members, only Amret Singh Syiem (98) is still present with us to witness the platinum jubilee of the club. Despite his age, Syiem continues to inspire the present members of the Club,” Nongkynrih who is also the secretary of the Wahingdoh Dorbar Shnong stated.
He informed that the club was re-christened as Wahingdoh Sports Club after it witnessed a growth in various sports disciplines especially in football. He said that the club had managed to win many trophies during its initial years like the Commercial Cup in 1953 and 1960, Ganesh Das Memorial Shield in 1958 and Khasi Union Running Shield 1970.
According to him, the club had also won the First Division Football organised by the SSA in 1995 and 2009.
“One of the major achievements of the club was to win the Shillong Premier League (SPL) for three consecutive years between 2011-2013,” Nongkynrih informed. It may be mentioned that the Club also won the Bordoloi Trophy in 2011 defeating Langsning Sports Club by 2-1 in the final.
According to him, the proudest moment for the people of the locality and the club was to be able to win the I-League 2nd Division in 2014 and this helped the Club to qualify for the I-League during 2014-2015 season. He said that the club finished third in the points table in that season of the I-League.
Wahingdoh Sports Club had also produced many great players who had represented not only the state but even the country. They included the likes of Shlur Nongbri, Welson Marbañiang, Rakhal Dutta, Roskisor Khariong, Tomlin Lamare, Fullmoon Pyrtuh, Jespar Khongsdam among others. Late Shlur Nongbri was among the legends to have played for the club since he was selected to train with the Indian football team for the Rome Olympic in 1960. “Despite being selected for the final selection, late Nongbri could not make it into the team as he had to undergo treatment for flu,” Nongkynrih informed.
