April 4, 2014

#DoRight:: Be a Do-Gooder for Dooars XI

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Hockey is India's national game. Still the story of how badly India has deteriorated in hockey is a very sad one indeed. India which won the admiration of the world by winning a record consecutive six golds in Hockey at Olympics from 1928 to 1956, following it up with another two golds in 1964 and 1980, merely qualified in Men's Hockey at 2012 London Olympics after a long 8 years gap! Adding fuel to the fire, it finished last.

Similar stories plague almost every other team sport in India (exceptions like Kabaddi exist, which is a sub-continental sport). India's Cricket craziness/obsession has zapped out all performance from most other sports.

And what about Football? That lovely team game played by 209 countries all over the world and having far more spectators than Cricket or indeed any other sport in the world?!

Don't even ask!

Yes- 1.2 billion people, enough grounds to kick a football around (though decreasing now especially around cities due to encroachments), least infrastructure needed for this most common team sport- yet our Indian Football Team ranks 152 amongst 209 countries in FIFA rankings of March 2014!

And that's men's football.

Indian women's football team hovers around a much better 50th rank out of 130 countries. That's why they can teach the men's team some good lessons inspite of all the difficulties they undergo to pursue their dream.


With negligent government backup cum building of facilities for women's sports in general and private sector chasing Cricket celebs and biggest stars (both men and women) in respective sports (Chess, Badminton, Tennis etc.), women playing football suffer the most.

In such a bleak situation, there still exist stories of hope. Dooars XI is a women's football team from Dooars region of West Bengal in India.
http://hindulinebengal.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/siliguri-map2.gif
Source
http://www.mytourideas.com/photo/map/dooars-map-1.jpg
Source (This is enlargement of previous map of areas east of Siliguri)


This economically backward yet immensely talented and gusty group of women live their passion- football. They have been reprimanded by their families, some thrown out from home, wearing borrowed shoes and clothes- with even a national level women's football player amongst them not even having a spare football. And still they practise. They persevere. With whatever little facilities they have. The false promises people give and then vanish. The dashed hopes by a state they depended upon.

Watch the below video to know their hardships inspite of which they pursue their dreams doggedly. That's why we need to #DoRight for them.....right now....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JH8yxfsTzDg

They need not much to give wings to their dreams and takeoff to success. They just need our Do-Gooder attitude with a heart to donate happily for buying each of these determined women the basic equipment- a football, pair of socks and shoes. And lots of our good wishes and cheer so that each of them reaches the National Team! Then India can one day be Number 1 in the world in women's football for sure! Yes- it's not impossible. That says- I am possible!

So, do your bit Do-Gooders to complete their half-story successfully....And watch how Dooars XI reaches the stars in the Football Universe.......:)


**And the latest news is here! 
Their half story has completed successfully by Do-Gooders' donations! Still now you know that there's an amazing team like this- which is inching closer to clinching their every football dream!! Do spread the word about this amazing team and watch out for their success!


**This is my post for the glorious #DoRight Initiative (http://doright.in.) by Tata Capital, in collaboration with IndiBlogger. This also stands for the letter 'D' of A to Z Challenge 2014- #DoRight:: Be a Do-Gooder for Dooars XI!

6 comments:

  1. Great post Amrita, you know what when I first came to know about it, I really thought to blog about them. I was also associated with Dooars region during my childhood and I know that right now football is alive either in West Bengal or in Goa only.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much Alok! Yes U r so right. Goa and WB r places where football is preserved. In Odisha too many talented women players r there. Recently a tribal gals' team won World Championship...:)

      Delete
  2. Proud of these girls. They indeed are possible. Just a few helping hands and they can rise up to the best. This post is must to be shared. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much Namrata for sharing!! Thanks for following me too! :D

      There r so many stories indeed like this....they all need our encouragement, support...then only can India b a sporting superpower...:)

      Delete
  3. HI,
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    ReplyDelete

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