Tata Steel Foundation Celebrates National Sports Day with ‘Grassroots Football Tournament’

~Er Pritiranjan Gharai, Hon’ble Minister of Rural Development, Skill Development & Technical Education, graced the occasion as Chief Guest.
~270 players from Bamnipal, Sukinda, and Kalinganagar regions participated
Kalinganagar: Celebrating 118th birth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand and with an objective to promote sports as a way of life among children, Tata Steel Foundation observed ‘National Sports Day’ by organising a one-day ‘Grassroots Football Tournament’ at Baghuapal playground in Salijanga Panchayat under Danagadi Block of Jajpur district on Tuesday.

Er Pritiranjan Gharai, Hon’ble Minister of Rural Development, Skill Development & Technical Education graced the occasion during felicitation programme and encouraged local youth to actively participate in sports for holistic development. Among others Mrs. Tina Haibru, Zilla Parishad, Danagadi block and other senior officials of Tata Steel Foundation were present on the event.

This vibrant tournament included three categories – Under 12 and Under 14 for boys, and Under 14 for girls. A total of 17 matches were played among 18 teams comprising 270 players from Bamnipal, Sukinda and Kalinganagar participated in the day-long tournament showcasing their prowess on the football field. The tournament not only provided an arena for football enthusiasts to display their skills but also served as a platform to promote health awareness and social responsibility within communities. While, Sukinda team won the U 12 (Boys) title, Bamnipal team and Kalinganagar team won the U 14 (Boys) and U 14 (Girls) titles, respectively in the tournament.

To emphasize the importance of nutrition, all participating teams and the organising committee were treated with nutritious lunch, underlining the significance of a balanced diet in sports and daily life.

Apart from this, the Administration Department of Tata Steel Kalinganagar had also organised ‘Fun Sports’ for the employees and their family members residing at Plot 2 Housing colony on the occasion.