There is a tradition in the world of naming schools, universities, roads, buildings, sports tournaments, trophies and many more after leaders and distinguished individuals to honour their contribution towards their community, country and the world at large. Similarly, the most popular sporting event in the Tibetan community, the Gyalyum Chenmo Memorial (GCM) Gold Cup is named after the great mother of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.

After the demise of Gyalyum Chenmo Dicky Tsering, the great mother of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in January 1981, Joe Tsering, former Chief Accountant of Tibetan Children’s Village School (TCV) took the initiative of organising a football tournament after her name. He is accredited as the founder of the Gyalyum Chenmo Memorial Gold Cup (GCMGC) football tournament. An organising committee was formed in August 1981 with members mostly comprising of staff from TCV.

The first ever GCMGC Football Tournament was held at TCV ground in October 1981. All participating teams were from Dharamshala area and TCV team won the first tournament. At that time the original Gold Cup was under preparation. The original Gold Cup was designed and made by a renowned Tibetan sculpture master Pema Dorjee who works at Norbulingka Institute. The cup was coated in pure gold, its handle was made from silver and designed with gold. The private office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama had given all the precious jewelry that went into designing the cup. The cost of the Gold Cup was almost twenty-one thousand Indian rupees excluding the precious jewelries.

In 1982, teams from outside Dharamshala were given entry to participate in this prestigious tournament. The same committee had organised this tournament until 1989. Due to unforeseen problems, this committee was later dissolved and a new committee was formed, representing Central Committee of U-Tsang, Dotoe, Doemay, Chikdrel Tsokpa, TYC and TWA. Later on, TYC had withdrawn from this committee completely and TWA had withdrawn from being an active member. The remaining four associations had organised the GCMGC football tournament in 1997 and 1999. However, this committee also discontinued due to their other political activities that needed constant attention.

In October 1998, Kasur Jetsun Pema, the then President of TCV received an invitation from Italian Rock Music Group named Dinamorock for an exhibition football match in Italy. The TCV had taken all the initiatives of selecting and training of the two teams of under-13 and the senior team. Thus, the first-ever Tibetan football team was formed and played in Bologna, Italy in 1999. This was the turning point for Tibetan football for it opened doors for talented players who could realise their dream of playing for their country.

In 2001, the Danish Tibetan Cultural Society invited the Tibetan football team to play against the Greenland national team. This visit by our Tibetan football team left no doubt that given proper training and support, our players could successfully compete at international levels.

In 2002, Tibetan National Sports Association (TNSA) was formed with all formalities. The main aim and objectives of the association were to promote the sports in general and football in particular among the Tibetan community. The primary task was forming of Tibetan National Football Team and organising football tournaments among the Tibetans. Based on TNSA’s request, these four organisations had handed over the Original Gyalyum Chemo Memorial Gold Cup to TNSA.

TNSA has organised the GCMGC football tournament more professionally from 2003 onwards. In 2003 and 2004 this tournament was organised first in the regional level. Then the best team or selected players formed a team and represented that region for the final tournament. The ultimate aim of the TNSA is to promote local level clubs and the tournament to be among the club level. From 2005 onward the tournament was organised for club level. For the first time, this tournament was organised outside Dharamshala, at Dhondupling Tibetan Colony, Clement Town in 2007 and 2008 in Doeguling Tibetan Settlement. The support and cooperation received from these two venues were beyond imagination. Now more and more Tibetan settlements are coming forward to organise this prestigious tournament.

The TNSA had introduced the gate ticket system, this is aimed to meet some part of huge expenses of the tournament.

TNSA is registered under the Indian Societies Act XXI, 1860. The Kashag (Cabinet) Office of the Central Tibetan Administration has approved its mission and functions, The association has a Governing Body and an Executive Board to manage its affairs.

Currently, the 24th edition of GCMGC concluded with DYSA Mundgod FC lifting the trophy by beating Gangtok FC at Tibetan Dekyi Larsoe (Bylakuppe) on 10 April 2018. The love for football in the Tibetan community is evident in the fact that since the inception of the tournament, the audience and teams participating in the tournament has kept on increasing year after year. The Tibetan National Football team both male and female are also set to participate in the CONIFA World Cup scheduled to take place in London this June.

Let me walk you through some action of  24th edition of GCMGC that took place in Dekyi Larsoe Tibetan settlement in Bylakuppe.