• Chakulia clinch Under-15 title, Simuldanga Open category
• Community Football Tournament drew 24,000 players from 1,500 teams

After setting the 'ball rolling' for nearly two months, Tata Group Community Football Tournament-2016 drew to a close today at Nandup Ground, near Jamshedpur, with Chakulia and Simuldanga teams clinching the victory in Under-15 and Open categories, respectively.

Chakulia registered a 4-3 win against Simuldanga in Under-15 category, whereas Simuldanga recorded a 2-0 victory against Manjhari in Open category. Both the winning teams defeated their opponents in a penalty shoot-out.

As players battled it out for lifting the cup, ecstatic shouts and cheers by football enthusiasts, especially youth, turned the atmosphere electrifying at Nandup Ground.

Congratulating all the players for putting up their best show, the Chief Guest on the occasion Mrs. Menaka Sardar, MLA, Potka, and Guest of Honour Mr. Dashmath Hansdah, Paragna (traditional leader) felicitated the winning teams. Mrs. Menaka lauded the efforts of Tata Steel for organising the tournament with other Tata group companies. She also appreciated the move to propagate awareness regarding drug abuse and alcohol menace through such a community-level forum.

This year’s tourney made all the players vow to stand united against menace of drug and alcohol addiction.

Mr. Debdoot Mohanty, Hony. Secretary, TSRDS, Mr. Mukul Chaudhary, Administrator Tata Football Academy, Mr. Kausar Ahmad, Sports Coach, CSR were also present along with Mr. Amit Tirkey, Empowerment, who presented vote of thanks.

The fifth edition of the tournament—a joint effort of Tata Steel, Tata Motors, Tinplate and Tata Power operating in Jharkhand—drew over 24,000 players from over 1,500 teams that clashed in Under-15 and Open categories’ matches.

This year, the tournament was played in 48 areas across five districts of Jharkhand, covering all the blocks and Panchayats of East Singhbhum, West Singhbhum, Seraikela-Kharsawan and the mining locations of Bokaro and Dhanbad.