Sudeep Pakrashi:
Minerva Academy has taken a unique initiative to bring potential young footballers holding Passport of Indian Origin (PIO) to India and nurture them, looking forward to the future of Indian football. The academy director, Ranjit Bajaj, revealed that he has already scouted 17 potential players from England in the under-17 and under-18 age groups.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) is going to introduce a new rule in the AIFF Youth Leagues from next season, where every participating team in the Youth League can field two PIOs.
Bajaj, when asked about the issue, divulged, “We have plans to utilize the AIFF’s new policy. So I started researching and exploring the potential of those boys, holding Passports of Indian Origin (PIOs). I found most of the PIOs are in England, the UAE, and Canada. A significant part of my research work is that several Indians are presently living in these countries for their respective jobs, and I have found that some of their sons are truly potential. But those students study under the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) education system. We have already planned to introduce the GCSE education system in Minerva Academy School so that the students can continue their studies and football in India.”
Minerva Academy FC, the only academy to have won all age-group national titles in the same year and also back-to-back champions in the AIFF sub-junior league in 2023-24 and 2024-25, wants to include two PIOs in their AIFF Youth League matches next season. In a bid to make the final selection, Ranjit Bajaj will again travel to the UAE at the end of this month. “We have scouted 17 potential PIO boys from England and will scout from the UAE and Canada later. If I can nurture those boys in our academy under the guidance of top-quality foreign coaches, then, looking forward to the future, who will ultimately benefit? It is Indian football.”
Minerva Academy FC director simultaneously mentioned a few boys who drew his attention. “I found one boy named Bains. He learned the basics of the game at Liverpool Academy, and he looked extremely promising. I found one 16-year-old boy named R. Lobo. He is the nephew of former Indian international Kevin Lobo. He also looked talented. My plans are to bring them and play for Minerva Academy in the AIFF Youth Leagues,”concluded Bajaj.
