Making every kick, dribble and save count, 35 budding footballers from the north-eastern part of the country are now in Germany for a six-year training programme to get access to world-class football facilities and infrastructure as a part of the Tata Trusts U-Dream football. The team of Under-15 footballers have been handpicked from across North Eastern states for the training programme, allowing them to transcend every boundary that hinders them to establish their talent on a global stage.
One of the boys headed to Bittburg, Gemany is 9-year-old striker, Chandan Boro, who never let his circumstances dominate his talent and love for the 'beautiful game'. Born to a family of daily-wage earners (his father is a sweeper and mother, a worker at a local tea-stall), everyday is a struggle for this family of 5. While an uncertainty looms large on the future of his family, Chandan through his talent alone has written his destiny himself. Unbelievable as it seems for a boy who never stepped out of his little village of Harisinga along the Indo-Bhutan border in Udalguri, he will now be training in another continent for his stint at a bright future doing what he loves - Play Football. You can trace little Chandan's big footsteps here.
Tata Trusts U Dream Football is a six-year international football training programme offering young talented footballers a unique opportunity to pursue a career as a professional footballer.The program is completely based in Germany and therefore embedded into the German Philosophy of Football and Education. Tata Trusts U Dream Football aims to build a deep seeded foundation for the radical development and transformation of Indian football. It is among the few football training programmes that also lays equal emphasis on the academic development of the young athlete, as it offers CBSE schooling and the opportunity to pursue higher university studies or skill based programmes. Take a look at their journey here.