Goa CM Pramod Sawant congratulates Keren D'Souza on being selected for AIFF-FIFA Telangana Talent Academy
Panaji, July 1
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant met and congratulated young footballer from the state, Keren D'Souza, on her achievement of being selected for the prestigious AIFF-FIFA Telangana Talent Academy under the FIFA Talent Development Scheme.
The Goa CM extended best wishes to Keren for continued success as she represents Goa and India on bigger sporting platforms in the future.
Located at the Gachibowli Stadium Complex, the AIFF-FIFA Telangana Talent Academy aims to provide year-round high-performance training, with residential and football facilities, education, medical care, nutrition, and mental wellness to the young elite talent of Indian football, according to an AIFF press release.
The establishment of the FIFA-AIFF Telangana Talent Academy, under FIFA's Talent Development Scheme, has been made possible through the collaboration between FIFA, AIFF, the Government of Telangana and the Sports Authority of Telangana.
Notably, the FIFA-AIFF Telangana Talent Academy for boys and girls were jointly inaugurated by the Governor of Telangana, Shiv Pratap Shukla, and the Chief Minister of Telangana, Revanth Reddy, at the Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad on June 19.
The inauguration marked a significant milestone in Indian football's talent development ecosystem. The boys' programme is the second such project in the country (after Bhubaneswar), while the girls' programme is the first in India and only the second of its kind in the world after Hong Kong.
Also present at the inauguration were Vakiti Srihari, Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs, Government of Telangana; Shivsena Reddy, Chairman, Sports Authority of Telangana; and Sonibala Devi Akoijam, IFS, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, Sports Authority of Telangana.
— ANI
Reader Comments
This is exactly what Indian football needs - proper academies with holistic support. The girls' programme being first in India is a huge step forward. More power to girls like Keren! 🌟
Impressive initiative by AIFF and FIFA. The focus on nutrition, mental wellness, and education alongside football is a smart approach. Let's hope this model expands to other states too.
Finally some serious investment in grassroots development. But let's not forget - till we fix our domestic league structure and scouting, talent will still slip through. Good start though. 👏
As someone who follows football globally, this is a smart move by FIFA. India has huge untapped potential. Keren's selection shows the talent is there - now it's about nurturing it properly.
Wonderful news for Goan football! Keren beta, you've made your state proud. The residential facility in Hyderabad sounds world-class. Wishing you all the success! 🙏⚽
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