~Jamshedpur FC brings on board Anas Edathodika, for a whopping Rs 1.1 crore, the costliest player in the draft~
~The Jamshedpur based franchise owned by Tata Steel unveils the team logo~

Tata Steel today bid big at the auction of players for their maiden ISL season, held in Mumbai. Jamshedpur FC, the Tata Steel owned franchise have drafted 15 players with big names like Anas Edathodika (Defender), Subrata Paul (Goalkeeper), Mehtab Hossain (Midfielder) and Souvik Chakraborti (Midfielder), building a formidable team to make a mark in the first appearance at the coveted Indian Super League, 2017. A total of 205 players were up for grabs at the draft auction at the ISL.

Mr. Koushik Chatterjee, Group Executive Director (Finance, Corporate and Europe), Tata Steel, Mr. Sunil Bhaskaran, Vice President Corporate Services, Tata Steel & Chairman, Tata Football Academy, Mr. Suprakash Mukhopadhyay Chairman, Tata Sports Club, Mr. Steve Coppell, Head Coach, Jamshedpur FC unveiled the Jamshedpur FC logo, designed by Ms Agnimitra Paul, Kolkata-based renowned designer.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Koushik Chatterjee said “We would like to thank ISL for considering Jamshedpur as a separate club in the upcoming season of ISL. This opportunity lives the Tata Group and Tata Steel’s dream of Tata Football Academy that was launched 30 years back to contribute to Indian football and to see Indian football make advances to the world stage.

We are happy to have Jamshedpur in this year’s edition of ISL. This will showcase Jamshedpur as a city which supports sports. We have a very strong connect with the community and I’m sure the fans, citizens and people of not only Jamshedpur, but people all around the country will see what Jamshedpur and Jamshedpur FC offers.”

Mr. Steve Coppell, Head Coach, Jamshedpur FC who was present at the auction said, “I am very excited to be a part of the Jamshedpur Football Club. Tata Steel has a long and enduring commitment to football, having a football academy based in Jamshedpur since three decades. They have demonstrated a community responsibility to develop young talent to play for India in the future.” 

Mr. Sunil Bhaskaran, Vice President, Corporate Services, Tata Steel & Chairman TFA said, “ We are proud to be associated with ISL. The Jamshedpur FC extends a great opportunity to our TFA cadets to showcase their talent, several of whom have gone on to play for the country.”

The list of 15 players drafted by Jamshedpur Football Club is as below:

Tata Steel had announced the signing of Stephen James `Steve’ Coppell as the Head Coach of its Jamshedpur-based franchise, Jamshedpur Football Club, for the upcoming season of Indian Super League (ISL). The signing was also accompanied by the announcement of Ishfaq Ahmed as the Assistant Coach of the franchise. The team management was ably supported by the experience of these two football experts in drafting their teams during the auction.

Tata Steel has a long association with sports, especially football, and had set up the Tata Football Academy (TFA) in Jamshedpur. The drafted team of Jamshedpur FC for the upcoming season of ISL is aimed at fielding a balanced team of youth and experience and a perfect mix of Indian and foreign recruits.

Established in Jamshedpur in 1987, the objective of TFA has been to nurture and train budding footballers in the most scientific way to improve the standard of Indian football by producing outstanding players for the Indian National Team. The academy has trained over 200 players, out of whom 135 have represented the country, with 19 of them having led the national team as Captain across various age groups.

View Jamshedpur FC Logo launch AV @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lsg9McASkU&feature=youtu.be

About Tata Steel
Tata Steel Group is among the top global steel companies with an annual crude steel capacity of 27.5 million tonnes per annum (MnTPA) as on March 31, 2017. It is the world's second-most geographically-diversified steel producer, with operations in 26 countries and a commercial presence in over 50 countries. The Group recorded a consolidated turnover of US $18.12 billion (INR 117,420 crore) in FY17. Tata Steel Group is spread across five continents with an employee base of nearly 74,000. Having bagged the Deming Application Prize and Deming Grand Prize for continuous improvement in 2008 and 2012 respectively, Tata Steel has now been recognised as the global ‘Industry Leader’ in ‘Steel category’ by Dow Jones Sustainability Index (2015). Besides being a member of the World Steel Climate Action Programme, Tata Steel has also been felicitated with several awards including the Prime Minister’s Trophy for the best performing integrated steel plant for 2013-14 (received in 2017), Best Risk Management by CNBC TV18 (2016), ‘Best-in-class Manufacturing’ award from TIME India (2016) and the ‘Most Ethical Company’ award from the Ethisphere Institute (2016), IIM Sustainability Award (2015), among several others.

Disclaimer
Statements in this press release describing the Company’s performance may be “forward looking statements” within the meaning of applicable securities laws and regulations. Actual results may differ materially from those directly or indirectly expressed, inferred or implied. Important factors that could make a difference to the Company’s operations include, among others, economic conditions affecting demand/ supply and price conditions in the domestic and overseas markets in which the Company operates, changes in or due to the environment, Government regulations, laws, statutes, judicial pronouncements and/ or other incidental factors.

Kulvin Suri
Chief, Corporate Communications, India & SEA
Tata Steel
E-mail: kulvinsuri@tatasteel.com