Bengal blanked Manipur 3-0 to begin their title defence in style while Kerala hammered Chandigarh 5-1 on the opening day of the national football championship for the 72nd Santosh Trophy.
Sumit Das notched up a brace (6th, 15th) to give them a 2-0 lead at the break at the Howrah Stadium as Bengal dominated the proceedings from start to finish.
Das scored off a corner from the rebound to open his account, while he added a second in nine minutes heading home a Bidyasagar Singh's cross.
Bidyasagar put the icing on the cake for Bengal with a 82nd minute goal in what was a poor clearance from the Manipur defence.
Meanwhile, in the other game of the day at the Rabindra Sarovar Stadium, five-time champions Kerala thrashed Chandigarh 5-1 in their opening Group A game.
Jithin M.S. scored two goals in the 11th and 51st minute and provided two assists to guide his team to glory.
The other three goals for Kerala were scored in the 18th, 49th and 77th minute respectively by Sajith Poulose, Afdal V.K. and Sreekuttan V.S. Vishal Sharma was the lone scorer for Chandigarh in the 88th minute.