Odisha to bolster grassroots feeder programmes

Bhubaneshwar (Odisha) [India], November 30 : AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey met with Sachin R. Jadhav, Sports Secretary, Government of Odisha, in Bhubaneswar to discuss the renewal of the AIFF-FIFA Talent Academy in Odisha, according to the official website of the All India Football Federation (AIFF).

Later in the day, the AIFF President also met with Suryabanshi Suraj, Minister for Sports and Youth Services, Government of Odisha, Nityananda Gond, Minister for School and Mass Education, Tankadhar Tripathi, President, Football Association of Odisha, and Jayanarayan Mishra, Member of the Legislative Assembly.

The discussions focused on establishing a structured feeder system across districts in Odisha and creating pathways for young footballers through the National Education Policy.

The meetings further addressed strategies to strengthen grassroots football development in the state, including enhancing the training of Physical Education Teachers at the school level and appointing former footballers as AIFF D-Licensed coaches to support early talent identification and development.

Suryabanshi Suraj, Minister for Sports and Youth Services, Government of Odisha, stated, "Odisha is fully committed to nurturing football talent right from the grassroots level. By integrating sports into the school ecosystem, we aim to identify and nourish young students across every block, providing them with world-class coaching, structured pathways," as quoted from the official website of the AIFF.

"Today's discussions with the AIFF President reinforce our shared vision of building a strong feeder system that will produce not just footballers, but well-rounded individuals who can represent India on the global stage," he noted.

In addition, the AIFF President interacted with the U15 and U16 squads at the AIFF-FIFA Talent Academy, encouraging the young players and reviewing their progress.

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