How Assam’s Oil Birthplace Became India’s Longest-Running Golf Story — With Kapil Dev Adding the Final Spark

Sometimes a place becomes a story. And sometimes, a legend walks into that story and makes it unforgettable.

That is exactly what happened this weekend in Digboi, the quaint oil town of Assam, where the 25th IndianOil SERVO Masters Golf — India’s longest-running uninterrupted golf tournament — is unfolding with a sense of wonder, pride, and history woven together.

On Thursday, the air around Dibrugarh Airport trembled with excitement as Kapil Dev, India’s 1983 World Cup–winning captain and one of the greatest all-rounders in cricket, stepped onto Assamese soil. Fans rushed forward, phones in the air, hoping to freeze the moment forever. Autographs were signed, caps were offered, and smiles were exchanged as the iconic cricketer made his way toward Digboi.

For many, watching Kapil Dev — the only man in cricketing history to score over 5,000 Test runsand take over 400 wickets — walk past them was nothing short of a dream.

“He lifted India’s first World Cup long before I was born. To see him here, in our town, is surreal,” said a young sports enthusiast from Dibrugarh who caught a glimpse of the legend.

A Century-Old Golf Course Wrapped in Forest and History

Digboi is no ordinary venue. The Digboi Golf Links, established in 1916, sits quietly at the edge of the Dehing Forest Reserve, where mist curls through ancient trees and sunlight slips over the fairways in long golden ribbons. This very ground has hosted the SERVO Masters every single year since 1999, making it the only professional golf event in India to be held at the same venue for 25 years straight.

This Silver Jubilee edition carries a record ₹1 crore prize purse, with 132 professional golfers from nine countries — including last year’s champion Jamal Hossain of Bangladesh — battling across the 6329-yard course.

IndianOil’s Ever-Deepening Bond With the Game

The event is deeply intertwined with IndianOil Corporation Limited (IOCL), which uniquely owns the entire golf course — rare in India’s sporting landscape.

“Our connection to sports is well known. But Digboi has always been special because it’s our own course,” said IOCL Chairman Arvindar Singh Sahney. “Now, we want to take golf further, nurture talent, and who knows — maybe even produce Olympians.”

He also highlighted IndianOil’s efforts to uplift caddies, many of whom have turned professional through opportunities created here — something Kapil Dev openly admired.

A Legend Meets a Legacy

Kapil Dev’s presence in Digboi is more than ceremonial. As an avid golfer and promoter of the game, he holds a deep respect for the SERVO Masters.

And with his arrival, the town feels transformed.

The oil wells of Digboi — the “Gangotri of India’s hydrocarbon sector” — stand as reminders of the place where India first drilled oil. Now, in the very same land, a sporting legacy has taken root for a quarter century — and the Silver Jubilee edition carries an emotional weight that locals and players can feel alike.

Digboi’s Weekend Glow

From November 16 to 21, the fairways hum with the energy of world-class golf. But this year, something extra lingers in the air — the charm of history meeting the presence of a national icon.

The town that once wrote India’s oil story is now scripting a sporting one.

And as Kapil Dev stands under the open Assam sky, watching golfers stride across a century-old course, Digboi feels like a place where time, memory, and magic have decided to pause — just long enough to let a legend walk through.

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