Historic Sports Clubs of Assam

India Club enjoys the status of the oldest club in Assam. M S Mandi and Kalicharan Pandey were the founder president and secretary respectively. The club is situated at Tarapur, near the statue of Rabindranath Tagore. It was the first club from Assam to take part in the IFA Shield in 1917, and later participated in the same competition in 1919, 1921, 1923, 1941, 1945 and 1948.

Captain NM Gupta, renowned player and sports organizer of Silchar, played a key role in popularising the club in the adjoining areas and different parts of the country. The club produced several top-class footballers who represented Assam in different categories, and also finished as runners-up in the Bordoloi Trophy in 1954 — the prestigious soccer championship of the state.

Established in 1906, Gauhati Town Club was the second oldest club of Assam. Captain LB Scot and Hari Krishna Das were the founder president and secretary respectively. The club achieved its first major success in 1927 when they won the Prosenjit Cup (introduced 1907) — the first soccer tournament of Guwahati. Gauhati Town Club produced many reputed soccer players of the state and won the first Guwahati soccer league title in 1950. They also took part in the Rovers Cup (1952) and DCM Trophy (1953).

1954 was the best year for the club as they won the triple crown — League, Bordoloi Trophy and MC Baruah Shield. Gauhati Town Club is possibly the only club in Assam to have won two major soccer titles in a single year, capturing both the Bordoloi Trophy and Independence Cup in 1956. The club also bagged the Assam Club Championship in the 2001–02 season and took part in the 2nd Division National League.

Maharana Club was formed in 1907, just one year after Gauhati Town Club started its journey. Animesh Ganguly, the father figure in Guwahati soccer, played a key role in taking the club to great heights. A skilled footballer himself, Ganguly's organizing abilities helped build a formidable team that earned Maharana its name and fame. The club participated in the IFA Shield on 19 occasions, creating a record for the maximum appearances by a club from Assam in the championship.

During its long journey, Maharana won many big titles including the IFC Shield in Lucknow (1947), the Kamala Kumari Trophy in Varanasi (1952), along with the Bordoloi Trophy and Independence Cup. The century-old club also produced two captains of the Mohun Bagan team — T Ao and Sarat Das. Talimeren Ao later led India in the 1948 London Olympics.