Celebs like Parthiv Patel, Yusuf Pathan, Lajja Goswami, Gujarat governor and CM Rupani to back PM Modi’s effort to popularise football across India.
Football teams of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Daman Diu, Dadra Nagar Haveli and Andaman & Nicobar islands will take on each other in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar from 9th to 15th June not only to hunt best under 19 talent but to make India a football loving nation. The process of selection of best soccer talent from school and club level that began a month back in various states and union territories is now culminating into a mega Prime Minister Football Tournament OORJA 2017 with gala Opening Ceremony on 8th June with Gujarat governor Shri O P Kohli as Chief Guest.
The boys league matches will be played at Divine Child International School, Chandkheda, Ahmedabad daily from 6:30 am and 5 pmonwards from 9th to 14th June. Girls will play their matches at the SAI Stadium, Gandhinagar. The whole idea is to select best from six soccer teams. This team will compete from other zone winning teams in the final phase of OORJA to be held in Delhi in July. The whole effort is a part of national level talent search to strengthen Indian team ahead of FIFA world cup under 17 and later in Asian Championship with promising talent.
CISF, a paramilitary force of union Home Ministry, is entrusted the challenging task of conducting OORJA and to realise the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to add 1crore 10 lakh boys and girls as soccer fans under Mission XI million. Paramilitary forces in this maiden effort are directly helping the football associations tap the soccer talent and fans through their vast network of human resources.
A galaxy of celebrities like Cricketer Yusuf Pathan, Parthiv Patel, Shooter Lajja Goswami, and many other star players from Kabaddi have strongly backed the effort. Gujarat’s football player Dharmesh K Patel, who led the state team in Santosh Trophy is the Brand ambassador of OORJA Phase II. Film personalities like Ranbir Kapoor, Farhan Akhtar, Abhishek Bachchan, Nawazuddin Siddhiqui, Govinda, Anu Malik etc strongly endorsed the cause and took part in a celebrity match last month in Mumbai during phase one. Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani will join the effort to raise football awareness by becoming Chief Guest in the Gala Closing Ceremony on 15th June in Sports Authority of India Stadium, Gandhinagar. Parthiv Patel is the guest of honour for the event slated at 6 pm onwards. Yusuf Pathan and Lajja Goswami will grace the Opening Ceremony on 8th June in SAI stadium Gandhinagar. Brand ambassador Dharmesh Patel will remain present in both Opening and Closing Ceremony besides a curtain raiser event planned in Karnavati event on Tuesday, 6th June at 6 pmonwards to brief media on OORJA and to introduce teams so that football fever can grip the state over next ten days.
CISF has made Radio Mirchi as it FM partner in its cause of football promotion. Youth icon and famed Radio Jockey Dhwanit has consented to remain present in all the events Curtain raiser, Opening and Closing Ceremony of OORJA 2017. India’s Public Service Broadcaster Prasar Bharati’s Doordarahan Sports channel has agreed to be a part of the event by giving OORJA a wide coverage across the country. All dailies in Ahmedabad are being roped in by CISF to help it reach the youth of the nation both boys and the girls. Social media is also being used to reach youth through tools like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube besides an informative website http://oorjabycapf.all sport.in
CISF is conducting events like quiz competitions and other promotional events in different parts of Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar till the completion of OORJA 2017.
