Dream Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Dream Sports, one of India’s leading sports technology companies, today announced the extension of its three-year football training and development programme in collaboration with Indian football legend Bhaichung Bhutia.
The partnership, which is an extension of initiatives launched by the foundation in the North East, will play a critical role in training 50 young talented football players and support the growth of the sport in India.
The partnership was announced in Shillong in the presence of Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma and Bhutia himself. BBFS has a partner school in Shillong in Assam Rifles Public School.
A friendly football match was played with the young athletes who have been selected for the programme this year. Advanced footballers from the programme in the U-17 category will undergo specialised training in New Delhi.
Sangma tweeted his congratulations to “my friend” Bhutia and Dream Foundation, adding “This is a promising start and I am certain that this will bring out many talents from across the region.”
Speaking about the programme, Bhutia said “Over the years, Dream Foundation has played a significant role in our mission to provide life-changing opportunities for budding footballers. Our athletes have greatly grown and succeeded under the programme and we hope to extend this support to many more young players and contribute to the vision of making India a sporting nation.”
Bhavit Sheth, Chief Operating Officer & Co-Founder of Dream Sports, said, “As long-term partners with a shared vision to make sports better, we are thrilled to bring more young athletes into the programme. We are seeing a significant increase in interest and potential for football in India. The Dream Foundation is committed to enable athletes to unlock their full potential by supporting their overall development.”
As part of the programme, Dream Foundation will also be working towards “holistic development of the athletes and provide them with lodging, nutrition, education, coaching, training, equipment, apart from opportunities to participate in national and international tournaments,” a press release stated.
The selected athletes will receive their academic education at ARPS in Shillong and Vedas International School in New Delhi while they complete their training.
