The recently concluded Asia Cup saw the men’s cricket team lose to Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Despite a positive start and an initial winning momentum, India derailed in the second round. It
The recently concluded Asia Cup saw the men’s cricket team lose to Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Despite a positive start and an initial winning momentum, India derailed in the second round.
It was not all bad news for Indian sports, however. The women’s football team beat Pakistan 3-0 and Maldives 9-0 in their opening games of the South Asian Football Federation’s (SAFF) Women’s Championship last week in Kathmandu, Nepal. With the current form, they are subject to clinching the title for the sixth time.
In recent years, women’s football in India has grown with significance.
The spotlight on Indian women’s football increased with Bala Devi, Aditi Chauhan, and Dangmei Grace signing professional contracts with European clubs. These players became icons for young girls to dream big.
Last month, a 20-year-old Manisha Kalyan from Punjab broke all records. She became the first Indian footballer to play in the UEFA Champions League, the world’s most prestigious club football competition. She debuted for Apollon Ladies, a Cyprus-based team, and won the first match in the qualifying round.
However, despite the success stories at the top of women’s football, there are multiple challenges at the grassroots level.
“The lack of family support and awareness of future prospects are major problems in women’s football. When I started working with female players a few years back, I started by raising awareness about the pathway in the game. I have seen many talented players, but they don’t get the support from their surroundings and hence drop off. We ought to change this,” said Akshay Unni, Technical Mentor at BBFS.
This year, Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools (BBFS) launched India’s first women’s residential academy – a boarding school with football excellence.
The residential academy was launched in association with Barnes School & Junior College, an ICSE-affiliated boarding school in Nashik, Maharashtra, in June 2022.
Athletes at the academy undergo a rigorous academic and sporting curriculum. The selected students participate in local, state, and national competitions.
For instance, the first batch has played the Subroto Cup (India’s largest national school competition), CISCE Football Tournament and are taking part in the Khelo India Women’s League in Delhi. The girls emerged runners-up at the state level in Subroto and won the CISCE competition.
“We started finding interested footballers from around the country. After the initial phases, the final trials happened at our residential academy in Shillong. I am glad to see the selected players perform so well within three months,” informed Akshay.
Six of our girls – Sanfida, Fragrance, Riba, Deepika, Boni, and Taru were selected to the AISM team (all Maharashtra school football team) based on performance at the CISCE tournament.
Later this month, they will play the national round in Siliguri, West Bengal.
Looking at their performance, Garhwal Heroes Football Club (GHFC), a BBFS partner team, picked five players from the academy to play in the Khelo India Women’s Football Championship in Delhi.
“I started playing when I was five-year-old. I never had an opportunity to pursue football at an organized level until BBFS happened. Playing the Subroto Cup, CISCE, and the Khelo India Women’s Championship has been a phenomenal experience. It is the first time I am taking part in such prestigious competitions. I am a confident footballer now, thanks to the constant guidance given to us by our coaches at BBFS Residential Academy,” said Boni, who hails from Shillong. Boni is one of the youngest players in the academy.
The girls have played five games in Khelo India Women’s Football Championship. They won three games and lost two. If they manage to top the league table, GHFC will play the Indian Women’s League – the premier competition for women’s football in India.
“The BBFS girls residential academy is a first-of-its-kind initiative in India. We provide a positive and safe environment for everyone to play and excel. I am delighted to see results in our favor in such a short span,” said Ankit Sawant, the Head Coach of the BBFS Residential Academy women’s team.
Alongside the ongoing improvements, India is slated to host the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup comprising 16 best international nations this October.
Read more about BBFS Residential Academy
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