Darpan Publications and Mohun Bagan join hands to launch football school in Kalimpong

GANGTOK, 17 Aug: West Bengal’s Minister in-charge of North Bengal Development Authority, Gautam Deb, flagged off the ‘Darpan-Mohun Bagan Football School for the Hills’ at a special function held at Kalimpong Mela Ground yesterday.
Anjan Mitra, the Mohun Bagan Club secretary, and the Chief Executive Officer of Darpan Publications, Sandeep Chaudhary, signed an agreement in the presence of the GJM general secretary Roshan Giri, president of the GJM cheli morcha, Asha Gurung, the Darjeeling MLA, Trilok Dewan, and thousands of people who had come to witness the signing.
Celebrated veteran footballer, Shyam Thapa, was also present.
The ‘football school’ is aimed at offering professional coaching options to interest footballers of the Darjeeling hills.
The occasion also marked the WB Minister’s first visit to Kalimpong since taking office.
Congratulating the media house and Mohun Bagan on their collaboration, Mr. Deb said, “A new dimension has been added to sports in the region.”
Mr. Chaudhary of Darpan Publications, in his address, highlighted that his organisation has consistently been part of every activity in the hills and mentioned the campaign it led for Prashant Tamang’s bid to become Indian Idol as a high-point among many other collaborations.
“We want to become part of the development of Gorkhaland Territorial Authority and the process has begun with the launch of this sports school,” he said.
Mohun Bagan’s Mr. Mitra, in turn, assured that the school will put in the best efforts to produce footballers of the calibre of soccer stars like Bhaichung Bhutia and Sunil Chettri.
GJM representatives Mr. Giri and Ms. Gurung, in their respective addresses, also expressed hope that the new sports school caters to the sporting needs of the Gorkha youth. They also appreciated the initiative and expressed gratitude towards Darpan Publications and Mohun Bagan, a press release informs.