Tripura hosts football tournament to promote national integration

Sports events bring people together on a common platform and unite them. Recently, the 59th National School Football Under-17 Boys Championship was held in Tripura in which players from across the country took part.

Thousands thronged the Vivekananda Maidan stadium in Tripura to witness the football championship, which was organized by the School Games Federation of India in collaboration with the Tripura government.

The event was formally inaugurated by Tripura's chief minister Manik Sarkar.

Altogether 30 teams participated in the tournament.

During the event, students from different schools presented spectacular cultural programmes.

The tournament provided an opportunity to players from different states to share a common platform and strengthen the bonds of national integration.

"Our main objective is to promote peace and tranquility, growth, unity and integration. The national championship is taking place in Tripura and it will go a long way in bringing our state and other states in the northeast closer to states in the mainland and the rest of the country," said Samarjit Bhowmik , Organizing Secretary.

"I feel good participating because we are playing against teams from different states of our country, so it's very good," said Gaurab Singh, a player.

The championship commenced with the inaugural match between Punjab and Madhya Pradesh. Punjab defeated Madhya Pradesh 1-0.

Selected players from the championship will represent India at the forthcoming Asia championship to be held in China.

" It is a big competition. There are many teams participating in this championship, and our second priority is that 40 to 45 players from this tournament will be selected and trained, and out of them 18 will be selected to represent India at the forthcoming Asia championship to be held in China," said K S Murthy, Observer, SGFI.

Such events play a key role in bringing together youths of different states closer, and strengthening integration.