The popularity of football in India’s northeastern region is well-known. Over the years, many footballers from this part of the country have gone on to stamp their mark at different top flight clubs. The elevation of Shillong Lajong, and recently Rangdajied United, to I-League, has shown the rising importance of the region in the Indian football map. One of the states, that has greatly contributed to the growth of football in this region in recent times is Mizoram.
Situated at the bottom-most part of
northeast India, Mizoram shares its international borders with
neighboring countries Bangladesh and Myanmar, and its state borders with
Assam, Manipur and Tripura. One of the least populous states of the
country, Mizoram’s contribution to Indian football has been highly
commendable. Today, Mizo footballers are a regular feature in most of
the top clubs of the country. A few players, most notably Jeje
Lalpekhlua and Lalrindika Ralte, have even gone on to become important
members of the Indian national team in recent times, whereas Mizo clubs
like Aizawl FC and Luangmual FC have made their marks in the second
division of the I-League.
Covered with countless hills and rivers,
Mizoram is a land of immense natural beauty. With literacy and
sanitation rates of over 90%, as per the 2011 census report, Mizoram has
officially, the second highest urbanization rate in India. One of the
fastest growing states in the country, Mizoram’s progress in recent
times has been quite incredible. From parts of Aizawl being tragically
ripped apart by the Government of India’s relentless airstrikes on the
city in 1966, during the height of the MNF armed uprising, Mizoram has
indeed come a long way. The demand for the formation of a sovereign
state had led to an armed movement in this part of the country during
the late 50s. It wasn’t until 1986, when Mizoram was granted statehood,
that hostilities between the-then Mizo rebel group, Mizo National Front,
and the Government of India, finally came to an end. In the last couple
of decades, the state of Mizoram has been able to make significant
progress in many areas. One of the positive developments in the state
during this time has been the growth of the beautiful game.
The MPL trophy
Football has always enjoyed its fair
share of popularity in Mizoram. In recent times though, the absence of
an established league structure in the state until last year, had
somewhat held the game back. It is the young footballers who have had to
suffer the most, with many talented kids being forced to move away to
play in other parts of the country, while still at a developing stage.
With rising exodus of talented players from the state, the need of a new
premier football division was felt. The idea of the Mizoram Premier
League (MPL) was first developed by the Mizoram Football Association
(MFA). The state’s football governing body roped in ZONET Cable TV Pvt.
Ltd as its commercial partner last year, to assist in its new venture,
after a lucrative deal worth Rs. 1.25 crores was signed between the two
parties. With Mahindra 2 wheelers sponsoring the event, the Mizoram
Premier League turned out to be a big hit among the fans in its first
season. Dinthar FC, who showcased some brilliant football throughout the
season, went on to lift the title on the last day of the season,
beating local rivals RS Annexe 3-1.
While the football played in the
tournament was of top quality, the response MPL received from the local
fans in its first season was equally brilliant. P Lalmawizuala,
administrator at Mizo sports website inkhel.com,
says the craze for MPL did not remain confined to the larger towns and
cities. “MPL 1 received a very good response even from the smaller towns
and villages of the state. The attendances at all the games were
decent, and would have been much higher had these not been scheduled in
the afternoon. Zonet Cable did a good job providing live feeds of the
games, which really helped in popularizing the league throughout the
state,” he reveals. Lalmawizuala believes this new league has been a new
beginning for football in the state. “It’s good to see young players of
the state showcase their talents in the local league. The hard work put
in by the local officials has been quite encouraging too,” he adds.
Talking about the large number of young talented footballers in the
state, he says “We are thankful to institutions like the Sarba Shiksha
Abhiyan Football Academy for sowing the seeds of the newest line of
talents from the state. Over the years, these institutions have been
putting in a lot of hard work, developing young footballers. Moreover,
players like Shylo Malsawmtluanga have influenced many youngsters to
take up the sport in recent years.”
The Lammual Stadium
The second edition of the Mizoram Premier
League is set to commence within the next couple of months, with even
bigger things being planned for the new season. The Government of
Mizoram has commissioned the installation of floodlights at the scenic
Lammual Stadium in Aizawl, which will play host to the league games.
Most of the clubs have been busy preparing for the new season, with
Aizawl FC looking the strongest contenders to challenge defending
champions Dinthar FC for the title. With a large bunch of young talented
footballers in the different clubs’ ranks, the MPL is set to offer
these young boys a platform to make their early marks in Indian
football. When it comes to the clubs though, there is still a long way
to go for them. The current scenario, however, provides a lot of
encouragement to the fans in the state. Lalmawizuala, an avid follower
of Dinthar FC, opines, “We are still a few years behind in terms of
having an I-League club, but I’m quite sure that with better
infrastructure, in the coming years, one of our clubs will make it to
the top flight.”
Source: thehardtackle
Source: thehardtackle
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