TAPPING TRIBAL HOCKEY TALENT
Tribal children between 10 and 14 years take part in hockey lessons twice a week in 65 schools in Jharkhand’s Khunti district. The programme is run by Collectives for Integrated Livelihood (CInI), an associate organisation of Tata Trusts, with technical inputs from Dutch penalty-corner legend Floris Jan Bovelander’s academy. Started in 2016, the scheme integrates sport and education. The scheme has 35 Indians coaches, most of whom have played for Jharkhand. They are trained by coaches from Bovelander’s academy. In turn, the Indian coaches train the kids. Those shortlisted will be taken into the Tata academy.