- Published on Monday, 27 May 2013 11:18
New Delhi: Indian football set a major milestone as nearly 3,000 children took part in 40 football festivals nationwide in celebrating the AFC Grassroots Year 2013 and Grassroots Day which fell on 15 May.
The concurrently held festivals were a huge success during the celebration of grassroots football which is also ongoing in other Member Associations across the continent.
AIFF General Secretary Kushal Das was pleased with the outcome of the festivals, saying: “As part of the AIFF’s continued focus on grassroots development, we have conducted 40 grassroots festivals across the country with the help of our state FAs. We believe that a robust grassroots programme is imperative for the development of football.”
AIFF Technical Director Robert Baan added his comments: “AIFF has started to organise one of the most successful activities in football, the implementation of grassroots football in most of our football states. Within 10 years from now India will produce the new Sneijders, van Persis or Robbens.”
AIFF Director of Coach Education Scott O’Donnell gave his comments on the significance of the grassroots game: “It is great to see so many grassroots festivals taking place to help celebrate the AFC Grassroots Year. Grassroots football is an essential part of the development of football in India and I hope this is just the start of bigger and better things for us.”
AIFF Development Manager (Grassroots) Suvrat Thatte said: “The success of the festivals is a great achievement and I would like to thank all the grassroots leaders and state associations for actively participating to make the event a success.”
The festivals were held in the following states: Jammu and Kashmir (one festival), Chandigarh (nine festivals), Gurgaon in Haryana (one festival), Delhi NCR (one festival), Gujrat (one festival) Maharashtra (nine festivals), Goa (one festival), Karnataka (one festival) Tamil Nadu (one festival), Orissa (one festival), Sikkim (two festivals), Mizoram (seven festivals), Kerala (four festivals) and West Bengal (one festival).
Photo: AIFF