Girls team to participate in Subroto Cup

New Delhi, Oct 29 (IBNS) The 52nd edition of Subroto Cup 2011, annual football tournament conducted by the Indian Air Force (IAF) is scheduled to be held from 04 November to 25 November at New Delhi.

An all out effort is made by the IAF's Air Force Sports Control Board to reach out to the maximum extent possible.Over 59 school teams, including those from overseas, would vie for honours at the Subroto Cup Football Tournament this year. A total of 31 teams are participating in the Juniors (U-17) and 28 teams in the Sub-Juniors (U-14).

This year, the Subroto Cup would also witness the participation of Girls Team, as Subroto Society is conducting Girls Football Tournament on a trial basis in the U-17 age category. Since the participation is not limited to India only, a school girls team from Afghanistan would also be joining to participate in the event.

Preliminary rounds of the first ever Subroto Cup Girls Football Tournament kicked off at Dr. Ambedkar Stadium on 10th October.

A total number of 11 teams from various schools such as - Ryan International School,Mayur Vihar and Rohini, St. Marks Girls SSS, Meera Bagh, Modern School, Carmel Convent School, Tagore International School, Cambridge School, Mayur Public School, Amity International School, Bal Bharti Public School, Army Public School,are participating in this tournament to qualify for the main round of the Girls tournament scheduled to be held at Dr. Ambedkar Stadium from 07th November.

The final match of the Girls U-17 will be held on 22nd November at Dr. Ambedkar Stadium.

The opening ceremony of the tournament would be held on 04 Nov at Dr Ambedkar Stadium. Air Marshal JN Burma AVSM VSM Air Officer-in-charge Administration and Vice Chairman Subroto Mukerjee Sports Education Society would grace the occasion.

The idea of having a junior football tournament was first conceived in 1958 by (Late) Air Marshal Subroto Mukerjee, a keen soccer enthusiast whilst he was the Chief of the Air Staff.

According to him, football needed to be encouraged at grass root level in order to realise the growth of the game in the country. His concept first took shape when Subroto Mukerjee Sports Education Society was formed in 1960 after his untimely demise in Tokyo.

The first tournament was also played the same year. At the time of the inauguration of the tournament, the then Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, while offering condolence to this great visionary suggested that the tournament be named after the late Air Marshal Subroto Mukerjee.