Young footballer Sujata Mahato recognizes Khelo India Youth Games as big platform for presenting her talent

She is the most feared striker in the West Bengal side.

Sujata Mahato, a class 12th class student from Salboni Girls High School district Midnapore is the driving force behind West Bengal’s girls football team in the ongoing Khelo India Youth Games being held in Madhya Pradesh’s Balaghat area.

Sujata Mahato has been articulate on the field, her deadly right foot can pierce the net even from an acute angle and she is the most feared striker in the West Bengal side.

Ahead of each and every match the team played, Sujata Mahato could be seen motivating her team members to stay calm and deliver the goods. Her goal is to win the Khelo India Youth Games girls football title. “I will be the happiest person if our team is able to combine well in a semi-final encounter and  inch closer to fight for the title,” Sujata said.

According to Sujata, winning the title at the Khelo India Youth Games, will also prove a point that girls from villages are no inferior to others. “Nothing is impossible. We are ready to give our best,” Sujata Mahato added.  

Hailing from Mirgaon a village near Salboni district of Medinipur, Sujata Mahato has passion for football, but didn’t get the right encouragement in her formative years.

Since there was no girls football team, she often played with the boys. Playing with boys inadvertently made her hardy and skilful too.

“I could never think of playing football as girls weren’t encouraged to play,” Sujata recalls. “When I was in the eighth class I started playing with boys in the village. They were very supportive.”

Sujata Mahato later joined local football club----Jagaroni Club in Salboni, which further gave her the right platform to polish her skills. 

The big shift, however, was when she shifted to Kolkata, which is the hub of football in the country. “It was a big achievement for a village girl like me but I adapted to the city environment as my goal was to play football at the top level,” Sujata recalls.

The big moment in her short sports career came when she got a call from Suruchi Sangha Football Club and went on to play in the 2022-2023 edition of the Kanyashree Cup, which is traditionally known as the Calcutta Women’s Football League and was founded in 1993. The oldest women’s football league in India is organised under the aegis of the Indian Football Association. 

Sujata Mahato was the top scorer for her team, which added to her profile as the most versatile striker. “It is like a dream come true for me that I have emerged as the highest goal-getter for my team in a big tournament,” she said. 

When Sujata Mahato got an opportunity to represent the West Bengal state team at the Khelo India Youth Games in Madhya Pradesh, she was excited. “I am really thankful to the coaches and those associated in selecting the West Bengal team to give me a good platform like Khelo India Youth Games to showcase my talent,” she added.

According to Sujata Mahato after the Khelo India Youth Games will practice harder to get a chance to compete in the Indian Women’s Football League. “Playing the Indian Women’s League will further give me an opportunity to improve my skills and at the same time earn some money to support her family,” the Salboni Girls High School student said. “I also have a dream to qualify for the under 21 women’s national team.”