German Coach Deitmar Beiersdorfer To Mentor Footballers From MP’s Tribal-Dominated Shahdol
Some of them will soon travel to Germany for training under the German coach: Prime Minister Narendra Modi
BHOPAL: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said his conversation with a podcaster has opened up the opportunity for the budding footballers of tribal-dominated Shahdol district in Madhya Pradesh to hone their skills under famed German football coach Deitmar Beiersdorfer.
In the 125th edition of his monthly radio programme Maan Ki Baat, Mr. Modi narrated how his recent podcast conversation with podcaster Lex Fridman has drawn the attention of the German football coach towards the young footballers of Shahdol, leading the German to come out with the coaching offer.
“The life and journey of the young football players from Shahdol has profoundly impressed the German coach. He conducted a study into it and then reached out to the German Embassy in India making the offer to coach these football players.
It is truly remarkable since no one could imagine that the young footballers from Shahdol would catch international attention. Some of them will soon travel to Germany for training under the German coach”, Mr. Modi said.
Bicharpur village in Shahdol district, once infamous for drug addictions among the local youths, transformed into “Mini Brazil” by producing footballers of national repute, thanks to Raees Ahmed, a former football player and coach.
He roped in local tribal boys who particularly got addicted to alcohol and narcotics in the locality to train them as football players, in an initiative called ‘Football Kranti’.
The region has now produced 40 national and state-level Football players, thanks to ‘Football Kranti’, that triggered the birth of around 1,500 football clubs in the villages of Shahdol district.
