Panaji: Some of the players who stepped inside the Agnels Football Arena in Assagao rubbed their eyes in disbelief. A turf ground was a dream. Players from Delhi, for example, grew up playing near a waste segregation plant on space that is “less than half of a five-a-side football turf,” according to Abhijeet Barse, CEO of Slum Soccer. Those from Jammu & Kashmir have had little access to any facility, while Jharkhand faced similar infrastructural challenges. Teams from the northeast could not even make it to the National Inclusion Cup in Goa because travel was too long and, more importantly, expensive. Sixteen teams, though, took part in the 23rd edition of the National Inclusion Cup, jostling for a spot in the Indian team for the Homeless World Cup. “For many, this is their first stage, their first jersey, their first belief,” said Barse. “We have brought India together by creating opportunities for players who have never stepped outside their hometowns to play.” An award-winning sports for development organisation that uses football to change lives, Nagpur-based Slum Soccer was founded by Vijay Barse, the real-life inspiration behind Amitabh Bachchan’s character in the movie Jhund. When founded in 2001, it was initially called Jhopadpatti Football. Until he saw the differences that it made to people’s lives, Abhijeet was left wondering why his father, a retired school teacher, spent so much time, and hard-earned money, on the underprivileged. “There were personal moments that changed my view. I was once at the check-in gate where the policeman saw my passport and said he was grateful to my father for transforming his life. Then there were so many parents who came to our house and said they were thrilled that their children are no longer in bad company. “Of course, the change (in outlook) did not happen overnight. Eventually I realised that what he was doing was important. Then I joined his cause. It’s very challenging to inculcate the love for the game, explain the benefits to kids who come from the slums, from really backward areas,” said Barse. Convincing sponsors and obtaining funds remains the biggest challenge. “When you know that the final outcome is not creating footballers, how do you explain that to sponsors? We need to get the (underprivileged) children out on the field and then use football to make an impact,” said Barse. The CEO put the latest edition of the tournament together in Goa and watched from the sidelines as players from across the country sampled the thrill and joy that the beautiful game provides. There were enough people – many of them former Slum Soccer players – who executed their organisation role to perfection. The shiniest example of a transformation remains Isha Silare, who was at the heart of the action with a whistle in hand. In 2024, after representing Team India at the Homeless World Cup in Seoul, she returned in the centre circle after stepping in to officiate a match in the Korean capital, thus becoming the first attendee to play and referee at the same event. Last year, she was a referee in Norway, in her words, “an unimaginable moment, and I still ask myself if I’m dreaming.” “Slum Soccer has provided me a chance to stand out from the crowd,” said Isha. “I come from a very underprivileged background, so there was no chance for me to just go out and play with boys, wearing shorts. When Slum Soccer was teaching me about football, they were also educating about life.” Isha is now an inspiration to all players at the National Inclusion Cup who wish to follow in her footsteps. The first step would be to get selected for Team India. The selection isn’t all about skills with the ball at your feet. “For us, the best players are not from the winning team alone,” explained Barse. “The best are those who show sportsmanship and values on the field, remain well behaved off the field, show character. The selectors are all those who have been at the Homeless World Cup before, so they know the spirit behind the tournament. Selection can be a life-altering moment.” Isha will agree that sport can truly transform lives.
