Mohammedan Sporting Club join hands with Global Cancer Trust on World Cancer Day 2022

On the occasion of World Cancer Day 2022, Kolkata giants Mohammedan Sporting Club joined hands with the Global Cancer Trust to support their cancer awareness campaign.

World Cancer Day is observed worldwide on February 4th every year to raise awareness about cancer and encourage its diagnosis, prevention and treatment. It’s a day to celebrate the cancer heroes around us and make a pledge to reduce stigma related to this deadly disease.

Endowed with an illustrious 131-year legacy, Mohammedan Sporting Club is one of the oldest football clubs in Asia. It was they who succeeded in ending British dominance in Indian football in the pre-Independence era.

Mohammedan Sporting Club became the first Indian club to win the prestigious Calcutta Football League first division title on both sides of India's independence. They asserted such unparalleled dominance at the time that they won as many as eight CFL titles between 1934 and 1948. This includes five consecutive titles from 1934 to 1938.

Today, the club boasts a huge trophy cabinet with some of their prized possessions. These include the CFL title (12 times), the Federation Cup (2 times), the Durand Cup (2 times), the IFA Shield (6 times) and the Rovers Cup (6 times).

However, the lack of funds and poor planning from the 80s onwards pushed Mohammedan Sporting Club into the backwaters of Indian football. They wandered aimlessly in Indian football’s second division for nearly four decades.

The club found a new lease of life when a Gurgaon-based company called Bunkerhill Pvt Ltd came on board as their investor in October 2020. Under Russian head coach Andrey Chernyshov, Mohammedan SC are currently competing in I-League 2021-22. They are aiming to enter the Indian Super League, the country's current top-flight football tournament, in a year or two.

Founded in 2010, Global Cancer Trust is a Kolkata-based philanthrophic organization. Its sole aim is to eradicate cancer and alleviate the suffering of the afflicted. It is backed by ample experience in organizing several grand events on cancer awareness and prevention. Global Cancer Trust is widely acknowledged for honoring cancer warriors.

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Mohammedan Sporting Club’s Investor and General Secretary laud the initiative

The Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Rajasthan Royals have launched a similar initiative in the past. But this is the first official instance of an Indian football club’s participation in a cancer awareness campaign.

Speaking about the partnership, Bunkerhill’s director Mr. Dipak Kumar Singh said:

“This is a massive occasion for all the Mohammedan SC fans. We’re embarking on this association with Global Cancer Trust, who have been in this cancer prevention campaign for the last 11 years. In the process, we’ve become the first Indian football club to participate in such a campaign. I’m sure this will inspire millions of fans across the globe as Mohammedan SC is a historic institution.”

Mohammedan Sporting Club’s General Secretary Danish Iqbal, too, eulogized the initiative.

“This is a special occasion for our club. We’re delighted to join hands with Global Cancer Trust and take inspiration from the cancer warriors around us. Mohammedan Sporting Club has always been a torchbearer of Indian football and this is a prime example of that,” he said.

Global Cancer Trust’s Founder and Chairman Dr. Vikash K. Agarwal also shared his thoughts on this collaboration.

“We want to thank Bunkerhill and Mohammedan SC for responding to this noble cause. It’s a landmark moment in the history of India’s cancer awareness movement. On the occasion of World Cancer Day, when we will be completing our 11 years, we will be moving to the next teenage group. Let’s make it our mission to add more smiles to the lives of people. Yes, we can cure cancer,” Dr. Agarwal said.