The 64th Subroto Cup International Football Tournament culminated in a victory for the Assam team in the Girls Under 17 category. Assam’s team secured the title, defeating West Bengal with a score of 3-1 in the final. The tournament showcased 31 exciting matches following the start of the Girls category on August 19th. In the final, Betkuchi High School from Assam defeated Nandaizar Adivasi Pashili High School from West Bengal. Despite West Bengal’s attempts, they couldn’t convert opportunities into goals. Assam, with effective attacking and defensive plays, took the lead. For Assam, Milina Brahma scored in the 24th minute, Sayshree Sangma scored in the 12th minute, and Mari Mech scored in the 29th minute, giving Assam a 3-1 lead. Neha Baroi scored the sole goal for Bengal in the 21st minute. Air Marshal Narmadeshwar Tiwari, the Vice Chief of the Air Staff, graced the closing ceremony as the Chief Guest. Navdeep Singh, the Arjuna Awardee and Paralympic gold medalist, a para-athlete and javelin thrower, was an honored guest. The ceremony included award presentations. The event began with a performance by the Air Warrior Drill Team, followed by a performance from students of the Air Force Golden Jubilee Institute. The Subroto Cup includes the Under-17 Girls, Under-15 Boys, and Under-17 Boys categories. The 200 matches are scheduled to be completed by September 25th. The News9 Indian Tigers and Tigresses talent hunt initiative by TV9 Network will provide opportunities for scouted players to train in Germany. This season highlighted the girls’ category. The tournament moves to Bengaluru for Sub-Junior Boys Under-15 matches from September 2-11. The Junior Boys Under-17 matches will then be held in Delhi. Navdeep Singh, the Indian para-athlete and javelin thrower who won a gold medal at the 2024 Paris Paralympics, praised the News9 Tigers and Tigresses football talent hunt initiative. He noted that this effort would help Indian players learn from international coaches and improve their game. Singh acknowledged the differences in playing styles between international and Indian footballers and said that such initiatives would help bridge the gap. He added that the Subroto Cup offers a great platform for footballers. He also emphasized the need for more domestic tournaments to find talent for the 2036 Olympics. Group Captain Gajanan Yadav, the Honorary Secretary of the Subroto Cup, applauded the News9 Indian Tigers and Tigresses football talent hunt initiative by the TV9 Network, hoping for continued support from TV9.
