Debashis Sen of the Debanjan Sen Foundation outlines their work supporting the next generation of female Indian footballers – with thanks to Impetus’ Suvadeep Biswas (24/6/23).
Above: Members of the Debanjan Share Girls Academy. Photo: ABP Ananda – ABP News.
Founded in 2011, the Debanjan Sen Foundation remembers a young man of the same name who died in that year at the age of 21.
The Foundation aims to support the growth and development of sports at the
school level, especially in football, and to promote budding talents in the sport.
Amongst other schemes, the Foundation runs a football academy for girls in Kalimpong, in collaboration with Share Football Club, known as Debanjan Share Girls Academy. Within two years of the Foundation’s launch, 2013 the Debanjan Sen Foundation introduced a girls’ inter-school football tournament with schools from Kolkata.
This academy aims to identify talented U17 female players from the hills and Terai
region and offer them an overarching environment to grow together as good footballers
in a safe environment helping them to potentially play for big clubs within four years of their joining the Academy.
There are currently 21 girls, all under 17 years of age, the majority of whom are from remote areas of Kalimpong Darjeeling, Kurseong, and North Bengal. Almost all are from economically challenged backgrounds.
The academy provides a holistic scheme of support for the girls, providing free food, lodging, and education for all the trainees. The physical and mental well-being of all is
monitored on a regular basis with Medical insurance covering all of the trainees.
Anju Tamang, India International, is a local and lends her support as the Brand Ambassador of the Academy, supporting the trainees.
Notable achievements by the academy’s trainees to date include two trainees recruited by Premier League clubs in Kolkata and one trainee selected for trials with the U17 national team. Seven trainees were selected to play in the Kanyashree Cup during the 2022/23 season by Rainbow FC, Kolkata.
The organisations’ support for female football increased last year with the launch of the Debanjan Himalayan Cup inter-school football tournament for girls in Darjeeling.
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