Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined 17 young footballers for a friendly match at Lok Bhawan in Gangtok on Tuesday morning, held on the sidelines of Sikkim’s 50th Statehood celebrations. The informal game, shared by the Prime Minister on social media — “Nothing like playing some football with my young friends in Sikkim on a lovely Gangtok morning!” — quickly went viral and drew national attention to the youngsters and their academies.
The players came from across the state: from SAI Namchi — Palhoisher Tamang and Bipen Rai; Lokendra Football Academy — Kairav Limboo, Sisek Subba and Anmol Chhetri; State Sports Girls Academy, Soreng — Yangreep Lepcha and Sukria Manger; State Sports Boys Academy, Gangtok — Mikzel Bhutia, Abiral Gurung and Anish; Namchi Boys Academy — Ishan Majhi, Aagen Lepcha, Amish Majhi and Adhish Chettri; and the State Sports Academy — Prekila Tamang, Gyurme D. Tamang and Dichen Lepcha.
Participants described the experience as unforgettable. Prekila Tamang said, “Yesterday, we got a chance to play with the Prime Minister. It was an honour for us and truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We were 17 players and one referee, and this is something we will never forget,” and thanked the Chief Minister and the Sports Department for arranging the opportunity.
Gyurme D. Tamang highlighted the role of national schemes, saying, “Initiatives like Khelo India are very useful for young players. With Under-14 and Under-17 categories, we get exposure through national competitions. It motivates us, supports us, and gives us opportunities to aim for higher levels, even international.” Other players said the encounter boosted their confidence: Sisek Subba called it a “great inspiration,” Mikzel Bhutia said the Prime Minister’s friendly manner eased his nerves, and Ishan Majhi said the experience motivated him to work harder with Olympic ambitions.
For the 17 footballers, the brief match at Lok Bhawan was more than a viral moment — it offered visibility, encouragement and a tangible reminder of the opportunities that local academies and government sports programmes can provide.
Original Source: https://www.sikkimexpress.com/news-details/who-are-the-young-footballers-pm-modi-played-with-in-sikkim
Category:
Tags:
Publish Date:
