Chhattisgarh gets second FIFA-standard ground in insurgency-hit Narayanpur

The matches of I-League II were played in this ground.

After the establishment of the first football ground in the district of Jagdalpur, it is noteworthy that four years later, the tribal Bastar region in Chhattisgarh was blessed with its second FIFA-standard stadium in Narayanpur, an area affected by Maoist insurgency.

The Astro Turf football ground, built at a cost of approximately 4.50 crore rupees, has been officially inaugurated at Narayanpur’s Ramkrishna Ashram Vivekananda Vidyapeeth, an educational institution located approximately 250 kilometers away from Raipur. 

A step towards development of game in tribal region

The Ashram had previously possessed two natural grass football grounds, but was lacking a field of international standard. It currently caters to 2,700 students, with 95% hailing from the Maoist-affected Abujhmad region. Among these students, approximately 300 individuals across different age groups actively participate in football. 

The Ashram had two natural grass football grounds in the past, but this newly acquired field is their first of international standard.

In an interview with The Times of India, the Ashram’s principal Swami Krishnamritananda said, “As professional football is played on astroturf grounds, we recognized the need for such a field to aid our children in honing their skills for national and international tournaments. Following Jagdalpur, we are now the second in the state to possess a FIFA-standard ground. Our 300 students actively participate in state and national-level tournaments. Our U-14 and U-17 teams have been state champions for the last five consecutive years, while our senior team has held the championship for the last two years.”

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“Recently, our senior team defeated Bengaluru FC and Kerala teams in the I-League II Division matches held here. About 150 of our footballers have participated in the prestigious Subroto Cup,” he added further. 

Accomplishment at the Subroto Cup

Football has undeniably become a vital element of the Ashram since 1990. With a staggering number of 2,700 students, it is worth noting that approximately 500 have been directly affected by the Maoist conflicts. Interestingly, out of the 300 talented footballers, around 25 to 30 players have also been impacted by this pressing issue. But that doesn’t stop the players from dreaming high. 

Krishnamritananda stated, “As state champions, our team recently participated in the Subroto Cup held in Delhi, defeating Nepal 5-1. Our students possess remarkable talent, which motivated us to provide them with the best infrastructure. One of our students, Suresh Kumar Dhruw, has successfully represented India at the Asia Cup U-19 football in 2018.”

Further initiatives for development of football culture 

Even two important announcements were made recently. Firstly, the Viswas Cooperative Society has been included as a supportive organization for Ramkrishna Mission, Narayanpur. Secondly, there will be a national-level football tournament called the All India Under-19 Swami Vivekananda Gold Cup Football Tournament, which will commence in April 2024.

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