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N Biren kicks a ball during the launching function of Tata trust football grassroots centres in Imphal on Mon. Dec. 17. (EM Images)[/caption]
Our Correspondent
Imphal, Dec. 17 (EMN): In a move to develop football to a greater height from the grassroots level in Manipur, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Manipur sports authority and the Centre for Microfinance and Livelihood (CML), an associate organisation of Tata Trusts at the National Sports Academy, Khuman Lampak in Imphal on Mon. Dec. 17.
Youth Affairs and Sports (YAS) Director Armstrong Pame represented the state government and CML Executive Director Partho Patwari represented the private company.
Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Letpao Haokip and representatives of CML and Tata Trusts, Secretary Youth affairs and sports Bobby Waikhom, Sports Head of Tata Trusts, Biswanath Sinha, Zonal Head of (East and North East) of Tata Trusts, Vijay Yagnamurthy, international footballers and sports persons were also present at the occasion.
30 Grassroots Football Schools (GFS) would be set up at different areas including remote areas like Kamjong, Noney, Tamenglong, Churachandpur and Chandel districts, and also a state of the art Centre of Excellence for Football (CEF) at Khuman Lampak under Tata Trusts Grassroots Football Development Programme,according to the MoU. More than 50 boys and girls each will be provided the best of football facilities and guidance in all the 30 Grassroots Football Schools while the Centre of Excellence for Football will have both education and football training facilities for 100 boys. The letter of intent for setting up of this centre was handed over by the chief minister Biren to Burzis S Taraporevala, Senior Advisor of Tata Trusts during the occasion.
With the setting up of GFSs and CEF, the state would be able to produce world-class footballers and realise the dream of India playing in the FIFA World Cup soon, Biren while addressing the function said. He also added that eight boys from the state represented India in the U-17 FIFA World Cup at Kolkata. Manipur is one of the few states of the Northeast region which has a team of its own for the I-League.
In his speech YAS Minister Letpao Haokip said that Manipur has lots of talent not only in football but also in other sports disciplines as well. He also recalled that President of India, Ramnath Kovind during his recent visit here called the state as the ‘Sports Capital of India’.
Tata Trust advisor Burzis S Taraporevala attending in the function said, altogether 1250 children will be provided grassroots football training at 25 centres spreading across 12 districts of Manipur. He said that they’ve now 12 projects under various themes including livelihood,sustainable energy and sports.
Our journey of sports started with the grassroots football development programme in August 2017 and boxing development programme with the Mary Kom regional boxing foundation in September 2017, he added.
