J&K Bank Chairman & Chief Executive, Mushtaq Ahmed, who is also patron of J&K Bank Sports Board, inaugurated J&K Bank Football Academy, at a simple but impressive function at Jammu University here today. The chairman also unveiled branded apparels and sports kit of the J&K Bank football team. A brochure containing information about contribution of the bank to the game of football was also released on the occasion. J&K Bank Executive Presidents Tafazal Hussain who is also chairman J&K Bank Sports Board and Sahibzada Gh Mohidin, Presidents Abdul Rouf, R. K. Shah and O.P. Sharma, Vice President I. K. Koul and General Secretary J&K Bank Sports Board Mohammad Amin Khan were present on the occasion. Besides, the occasion was also graced by the President J&K Football Association, Zamir Ahmed Thakur, a renowned national referee, Nazir Ahmad and other functionaries of the Bank and Sports Board.
The chairman and chief executive Mushtaq Ahmad while addressing the gathering including young footballers said, "While the bank is playing a pivotal role in overall economic development of the state, we are very much attentive in giving priority to the sports activities as well, particularly football. Today's event is a major step in nurturing and grooming the budding footballers of the state to prepare them to find a berth in senior side at national and international level." He advised the young boys to play the game true sportsmanship. "You have to be true sports men and enjoy the spirits of the game. Hard work, dedication and sportsmanship are important facets of the game," he said.
Money shall be no constraint, but it would be your performance that would determine our investment in the initiative, he said while addressing to the young pool of footballers.
Tafazal Hussian, Chairman Sport's board, while speaking on the occasion impressed upon the senior players of the J&K Bank football team to adopt these young to edify them learn the nuances of the game. "The main goal of the academy is to produce better players by providing technical and tactical knowledge to the boys. We have picked this raw talent from the schools with no formal training. We aim to develop this potential new talent in to professionals who can represent us at state, national and international level in future." said Tafazal.
"We as responsible corporate citizen of the state are committed to invest to develop talent at grass root level in J&K state. The sports board is confident that its endeavor to promote sports especially football at grass root level shall invite a positive response from the sports lovers and civil society to enable us to contribute in promoting and popularising it across the state," he said.
M. Amin Khan, Secretary J&K Sports Board thanked Chairman J&K Bank for his whole hearted support in making this academy a reality. He thanked talent search committees of Kashmir and Jammu comprising of the pioneers of the football in J&K Bank like Showkat Ahmad Khanyari, Tariuq Ahmad Bhat, Sunil Khajuria, Rajesh Kumar, Muzaffar Ahmad, Deepak Sangral and others for their contribution.
Notably, 54 young boys in the age group of 14-17 across the state were picked up by the selection committee through an open trial at Srinagar and Jammu. Around 270 boys had participated in the trails. Every batch of the selected boys will be trained for a period of three years in the academy. The players will be given proper coaching under the supervision of the skilled and qualified coaches. In addition to it thee boys will also receive stipend during the coaching sessions.
Later a friendly match was played between the Jammu and Srinagar wing of J&K Bank Football academy.