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Tata's to sponsor Fed Cup football

July 17, 2003 17:20 IST

The house of Tata will be the title sponsors of the prestigious Federation Cup football tournament, beginning in Kolkata on July 26.

The All India Football Federation's marketing agent STRATA, which was engaged in month-long negotiations with the industrial major, informed the Indian Football Association on Wednesday about the agreement with Tata's.

"We received a letter from STRATA yesterday in this regard," IFA secretary Subrata Dutta confirmed in Kolkata on Thursday.

Tata's consent has surely warmed the hearts of both the IFA and AIFF, as the last edition, of the Federation Cup, which was held in 2001 in Chennai, did not have a sponsor.

Mohun Bagan won the title, beating Dempo 2-0 in the final.

"The tournament will now be known as the Tata Federation Cup," Dutta said.

There was further good news, with UB Group's Kingfisher, Pepsi, LG and Oil Public Sector Undertakings agreeing to be co-sponsors of the tournament, slated to feature the country's 16 top club sides.

The final is scheduled to be played on August 8.

The Federation Cup was inaugurated in 1977 and was played under the same title till 1996. With the aim of injecting professionalism, the competition was called Kalyani Black Label Cup in 1997 and '98.

Tournament history:

Year Venue Winners Runners-up
 1977  Ernakulam  ITI (Bangalore)  Mohun Bagan
 1978  Coimbatore  East Bengal/Mohun Bagan joint winners
 1979  Guwahati  BSF  Mafatlal
 1980  Calcutta  East Bengal/Mohun Bagan joint winners
 1981  Madras  Mohun Bagan  Md Sporting
 1982  Calicut  Mohun Bagan  Mafatlal
 1983  Cannanore  Md Sporting  Mohun Bagan
 1984  Tiruchi  Md Sporting  East Bengal
 1985  Bangalore  East Bengal  Mohun Bagan
 1986  Srinagar  Mohun Bagan  East Bengal
 1987  Cuttack  Mohun Bagan  Salgaocar
 1988  Delhi  Salgaocar  BSF
 1989  Coimbatore  Salgaocar  Md Sporting
 1990  Trichur  Kerala Police  Salgaocar
 1991  Cannanore  Salgaocar  Mahindras
 1992  Calcutta  Mohun Bagan  East Bengal
 1993  Calicut  Mohun Bagan  Mahindras
 1994  Goa  Mohun Bagan  Salgaocar
 1995  Calcutta  JCT  East Bengal
 1996  Kannur  JCT  East Bengal
The tournament held as Kalyani Black Label Cup
 1997 (Jan)  Calcutta  East Bengal  Dempo
 1997 (July-Aug)  Calcutta  Salgaocar  East Bengal
 1998  Calcutta  Mohun Bagan  East Bengal
Federation Cup
 2001  Chennai  Mohun Bagan  Dempo

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