Football dreams of tiny hilly villages budding players

CHILAMA: Dreams of budding footballers living in tiny and remote villages of Himachal Pradesh got wings with gaming icons like Sachin Tendulkar throwing their weight behind professional football leagues in a cricket crazy nation which also encouraged these young footballers to urge government to construct dedicated football stadium and hold football matches.
Football Club (FC), Bakloh in Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh has urged the government to construct a modern football stadium at Chilama village perched at the height of around 4500 feet in backdrop of Dhauladhar mountain range , informed Sagar Kumar Gurung , president Chilama Mela Committee (CMC) who inspired local youth to form the club to give shape to their dreams.
He said the Club had come into existence in 2009 but CMC had been holding football matches since 1980.
“We hold a week long football league every year in the month of July in which more than a dozen football teams from both Himachal Pradesh and neighbouring Punjab participates” he said adding that the winning team was given an award of Rs 15000 by CMC.
Sher-e-Punjab FC, Fateh Nangal FC, Khukhari XI FC,all three from Dhariwal, Punjab, Sai Football Academy, Kangra, FC Grassroot, Siddhbari, Chamba Academy, FC Mougla, Chamba, FC Simleau, Khiari, FC Bakloh, FC Chilama, Army XI, Bakloh were regular participants the tournament, he informed adding that with every passing year the number of FC’s willing to participate in Chilama football tournaments both from Himachal Pradesh and Punjab was increasing.
Jitender Kumar Rana, general secretary, CMC said that his father Ravinder Singh Rana , former president of Chilama Mela Committee was instrumental in introducing football among the youth of region.
“People here are not very rich to even afford a basic cricket kit costing around Rs 2500 for their children but a Rs 200 football keeps several children engaged at a time” he said.
Gurung said that following rising craze of football among youth of the region , they had urged the Himachal Pradesh government to construct a dedicated football stadium at Chilama since presently the tournaments were held at Chilama Helipad ground. “We already have a world famous cricket stadium at Dharmasala, a football stadium here in Chilama will add to the significance of our state” he said.
A sixteen years old footballer Parteek told that he had been playing football since the age of six years. “We don’t have many opportunities here, but a football stadium and government’s support can change the whole scenario and these villages have the talent to produce national and international level football players” he said.