Will set up football league at my village: Canadian MP
Friday, 10/01/2014
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2014/20140110/punjab.htm#17
Jalandhar : Canadian MP Jasbir Sandhu, who is here to attend the forthcoming NRI Sammelan in Jalandhar, wants to contribute in developing his native village, Rurka Kalan. He has been providing financial support to popular Youth Football Club at the village, where he spent the first 12 years of his life.
“When I used to play on these grounds, there was no professional coach to train us. The boys had the potential but didn’t have the requisite infrastructure. The club now has its own stadium with a Spanish coach,” he said.
Sandhu further said the trainees were now provided with food, lodging and education here. “In the future, we are looking at installing flood lights at the stadium. We also plan to set up a football league this Sunday as the club has branches in surrounding villages,” said the football enthusiast.
Apart from Sandhu, there are several NRI families in the village, who have been chipping in to promote football here. “Together, we are pooling in to meet the Rs 72 lakh annual budget of the club along with developing the infrastructure,” said club manager Gurmangal, who is also an engineer. The club has a boys’ hostel, a gym and a computer room.
Sandhu further highlighted the role the club had played in helping drug addicts and children from poor families. “Most of the boys here are from downtrodden families. Had they not got this opportunity, they may have taken to drugs and crime,” he said.
He claimed that India’s highest paid footballer Anwar Ali was from the village and had trained here. There were about 15 national and international players, who have emerged from Rurka Kalan, he said.
Son of an ex-sarpanch of the village, Sandhu had moved to Canada in his early teens and did an MBA from there. He got into community service during his youth. “Since I have always taken part in the annual Gadri Babein da Mela to champion the cause of the victims of Kamagata Maru mishap, I made it to the House of Commons in Canada,” said a contented Sandhu.
