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The founding father of prestigious Garhwal Heroes Football Club, the 3 term Delhi champions, breathes his last today. RIP

The founding father of three time champions of Delhi, Garhwal Heroes Football Club, Shri Kesar Singh Negi is no more, sending shocking waves in the entire football fraternity, especially in Uttarakhand n its football fraternity.

Founded in 1953 by veteran footballer Kesar Singh Negi, he was an octogenarian, whose entire life was dedicated to Garhwal Heroes Football Club, despite squeezed funds, taking it to highest echelons, as the three time winner of Delhi league as it’s Champion.

The sad demise of GHFC’s founding father K. S Negiji, has shaken the Garhwal Heroes fraternity to the core, paying immediate heartfelt richest tributes in GHFC Facebook page to their veteran mentor writing : Those we love can never be more than a thought away; for as long as there’s a memory, they live on in our hearts’
The entire Garhwal Heroes Family is shocked as our beloved Founder, Mr. Kesar Singh Negi passed away this morning. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends ????????
Thank you, Sir, for being a pillar of our community. You will be deeply missed. Your legacy will always remain strong with Garhwal Heroes FC. #restinpeace #garhwalheroes #garhwalheroesfootballclub

It may be recalled that three time Delhi champions, the Garhwal Heroes Football Club was founded initially in 1953 by Kesar Singh Negi with the intent to prepare a platform for young enthusiastic footballers of Garhwal community to compete in the capital, locally.

After incessant practice of football with limited resources, the Football Club became popular among the Garhwalies and football lovers, living in Delhi, encouraging Kesar Singh Negi get it registered with Delhi Soccer Association in 1953.

Thereafter, the Garhwal Heroes continued its active participation in Delhi league matches organised by the DSA performing outstandingly, finally bringing for the very first time name and fame by securing the prestigious championship of DSA in 1986 , the Delhi Senior Division League championship.

This was indeed the proudest moment for a football team of Garhwalies starting from the scratch with the dedicated efforts of Kesar Singh Negi, literally having no resource but immense dedication and determination with perseverence. Moreover, Mr. Negi’s dedication and support kept the morale of the players high making further progress by leaps and bounds.

In addition , in the year 2010 the GHFC became the first Delhi Club to enter into the quarter final of the Durand Club, the most prestigious and oldest knockout footclub tournament in the country further gaining more acclaim and recognition.

But a resource crunch for more than a decade despite a historical triumph as being the Delhi Senior League champion brought it to A and B division league stature.

However, after the younger blood stepped in, in 2001 viz Bhagwan Singh Negi, ( President) Magan Patwal, senior coach and Anil Negi ( General Secretary) into the scene with the blessings of Mr. Rawat , the Garhwal Heroes Football Club started going upwards in terms of good funding and therefore bringing enthusiastic results.

As a result in 2013, the Club regained the lost glory after 26 protracted years winning the prestigious Senior Division league once more, keeping the Uttarakhand’s flag high. The GHFC since then started playing I- League 2 nd Division from 2013 -14 onwards finally entering into significant partnership with popular BHAICHAND BHUTIA football schools, the most prestigious and biggest football schools in the country. It was the enhancing sportsman spirits of the extremely fantastic players of GHFC and blessings of their founder Kesar Singh Negi that the Club won for the third time the crown as the winners of Delhi Senior League Division championships making a record of sorts, taking the Club to new heights in the year 2019.

Hundreds of the GHFC players have attained jobs on sports quota in government, semi government services at the behest of Garhwal Heroes Football Club.

Our heartfelt richest tributes to the legendary footballer n founder of GHFC with prayers to Almighty to render peace and solace to his pious soul at HIS feet. Om Shanti

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Sunil Negi

Sunil Negi is a senior journalist and president of Uttarakhand Journalists Forum ( Regd). He usually writes on socio political subjects and have been contributing articles in print media for the last several years. Mr. Sunil Negi had been felicitated by All India Achievers conference's Pride of India and excellence awards apart from several other recognitions. He has translated a book on ecological disaster of Uttarakhand of June 2013 and edited and published two editions of Uttaranchal's Who's Who.

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