Jamshedpur, June 30: Jharkhand�s teenagers Baset Handah and Bikash Balmuchu are on cloud nine. Both of them have got what they longed for � Selection in the country�s first football academy, Tata Football Academy (TFA).
16-years- old Baset and 15-years-old Bikash will join TFA from Wednesday, July 1, 2015. The two sporting talents were spotted by Tata Steel Rural Development Society (TSRDS) around two years back during community football tournaments. Since then the two were being trained by the Society that also sent them for the recently concluded TFA trials.
While Baset, who hails from East Singhbhum�s Jonndragora village, was trained at TSRDS-run Karandih Football Training Centre, Bikash, a native of West Singhbhum�s Chaibasa, was coached at the Society�s Kolebira Centre.
Baset who completed his inter from Shyama Prasad College in Khasmahal and Bikash who is studying in class 9 of High School Jhikpani are thrilled to join TFA. �I have always cherished a dream of representing my country. And with my association with TFA, I will surely translate my dream into reality,� says a confident Baset.
Airing similar views, as excited Bikash says, �TFA has always been known for producing quality player. They are known for grooming raw talents. I am in safe hands now and definitely look forward to playing for Indian football team some day.�
Mukul Choudhary, Administrator at TFA said that of the 12 spots vacant 6 have been filled including 2 from Jharkhand and 1 from Odisha and we have already started talent search for 6 vacant spots.
Present on the occasion Biren Bhuta, Chief CSR, Tata Steel said that the selection is made entirely on the basis of talent and merit and though we think TSRDS should have involved in the search program a bit earlier but we should move forward and help in spotting more rural talent and TSRDS intends to develop sporting talents in rural areas.