Kalimpong's Apex FC based in the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration will host a football tournament from September 10 to honour the memory of the club's founder Raju Rana who passed away this year on April 7 after prolonged illness. The tournament has been named Late Raju Rana Memorial Football Tournament. Well know clubs from across the Kalimpong sub-division are expected to participate along with a few clubs from the neighbouring state of Sikkim and from Kolkata.
Apex FC is one of the most successful clubs of Kalimpong and its surrounding areas having won the prestigious Sahid Cup last year. The club has also won the Kalimpong league and other tournaments over the years. Sahid Cup is held every year in memory of the martyrs who laid down their lives for the cause of Gorkhaland and is regarded as one of the major tournaments of this region.
Raju Rana was instrumental in setting up the Apex FC in 2007, with a noble vision to give youngsters the much needed platform and exposure of playing against better teams from outside Kalimpong. Rana was not a footballer himself but his passion and love for the game was unconditional and he always went that extra yard to help young footballers in need. So he was called Mama affectionately by most of footballers in Kalimpong.
He began an active role as a manager by forming a team of his own for the Village Tournaments. The players themselves suggested that they would call the team 'RAJU 7' and the team created records that are still unbeaten at the Village Level in the Kalimpong area. No tournament at any village was complete without the presence of 'RAJU 7'. The team won many tournaments under the expert guidance of Raju Rana.
Eventually, players themselves were confident and asked 'Raju Mama' if they could put together a better team to play at a higher level. In no time the boys got together and a full fledged team was formed in the year 2007 and was named Apex Football Club. There was no looking back as the team put their heart and soul in every game and they soon became a house hold name in Kalimpong. Raju Rana single handly managed the team and the coach was Chandra Kumar Rai. He holds a coaching certificate from the FA, England. The team was 'one big family' and every player was like Raju Rana's son. He would encourage them in every possible way not only on the field but also in their lives.
Football was something he loved beyond measures. Many dreams were left unfulfilled with his sudden demise Yet his boys are confident and certain that 'Raju Mama' is looking down on them and urging them to live on his dream.
Apex FC is one of the most successful clubs of Kalimpong and its surrounding areas having won the prestigious Sahid Cup last year. The club has also won the Kalimpong league and other tournaments over the years. Sahid Cup is held every year in memory of the martyrs who laid down their lives for the cause of Gorkhaland and is regarded as one of the major tournaments of this region.
Raju Rana was instrumental in setting up the Apex FC in 2007, with a noble vision to give youngsters the much needed platform and exposure of playing against better teams from outside Kalimpong. Rana was not a footballer himself but his passion and love for the game was unconditional and he always went that extra yard to help young footballers in need. So he was called Mama affectionately by most of footballers in Kalimpong.
He began an active role as a manager by forming a team of his own for the Village Tournaments. The players themselves suggested that they would call the team 'RAJU 7' and the team created records that are still unbeaten at the Village Level in the Kalimpong area. No tournament at any village was complete without the presence of 'RAJU 7'. The team won many tournaments under the expert guidance of Raju Rana.
Eventually, players themselves were confident and asked 'Raju Mama' if they could put together a better team to play at a higher level. In no time the boys got together and a full fledged team was formed in the year 2007 and was named Apex Football Club. There was no looking back as the team put their heart and soul in every game and they soon became a house hold name in Kalimpong. Raju Rana single handly managed the team and the coach was Chandra Kumar Rai. He holds a coaching certificate from the FA, England. The team was 'one big family' and every player was like Raju Rana's son. He would encourage them in every possible way not only on the field but also in their lives.
Football was something he loved beyond measures. Many dreams were left unfulfilled with his sudden demise Yet his boys are confident and certain that 'Raju Mama' is looking down on them and urging them to live on his dream.
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