After exhibiting over month-long high voltage football action involving close to 30,000 players from the hinterland, Tata Kolhan Super League (formerly Tata Group Community Football Tournament) culminated today with the finals at Chaibasa stadium.

Boram (East Singhbhum) and Barachiru (West Singhbhum) clinched the victory in Open and Under-15 categories, respectively.

Boram (East Singhbhum) registered a 1-0 win against Hatgamarhia (West Singhbhum) in Open category, whereas Barachiru (West Singhbhum) recorded a 9-7 victory against Matladih (East Singhbhum) in Under-15 category.

Chief guest on the occasion Mr Anish Gupta, SP, West Singhbhum, felicitated the winning teams and runners-up.  Ms Dilith Castleton, Head, CSR, Tata Metaliks; Mr Mukul Chaoudhry, Chief, Jamshedpur Football Club; Mr Amit Tirkey, Sr. Executive, Empowerment, TSRDS and community leaders were also present on the occasion.

Kicked off on Sep 15, the tournament drew 1,800 teams and its matches were played across the length and breadth of Kolhan region comprising East Singhbhum, West Singhbhum and Seraikela-Kharsawan districts.

The tournament that intends to nurture budding footballers from the hinterland is being organised by Tata Steel since 2011.

Of the various initiatives Tata Steel has undertaken to promote rural sporting talents, training of budding footballers at Under-10 football feeder centres has made a mark.

Trainees from these feeder centres have made it to the legendary Tata Football Academy (TFA), Army Boys Sports Company, Bihar Regiment Centre-Danapur, an infantry of Indian Army and sporting academies. Significantly, this month, three trainees—Sahil Kandeyong, Raja Banra (both from West Singhbhum) and Bikram Gagrai (Kalinganagar, Odisha) from Tata Steel-backed U-10 football coaching centres have been selected for Army Danapur Football Academy. Presently, around 750 kids are learning the nuances of football at these centres operating in Jharkhand and Odisha.