Bengal has acquired a silver medal in the recently-held Khelo India Youth Games girls’ football championship in Balaghat, Madhya Pradesh. They lost the final to Manipur, the first-ever runner-up prize in the Khelo India Youth Games girls' football in the state's last five years of participation in the competition.

Still, IFA, the ruling body of Bengal's football has not given them some noticeable respect that the girls expected. The girls returned to the city from Balaghat on 12th February. Rajdip Nandy, coach of the Bengal girls' team when asked about the issue revealed, "Some of the girls who played in the tournament still call me sometimes, asking whether I have any information if IFA plans to felicitate them. They feel sad after observing that even within the last two weeks IFA bosses have not called them once at least and congratulated them."

Rajdip who has been coaching the Aryans football team in the Kolkata Premier League for the last couple of years lamented stating, "Madhya Pradesh finished at the third spot in the same tournament. Still, the girls were given felicitation after they returned. Our men's or boys' football teams were given felicitations even when they failed to win any national-level competitions previously. So, I expected that these girls would also be given felicitation after their return. They became runners-up for the first time Bengal girls have been participating in the Khelo India Youth Games women’s football competitions.”

Significantly, some of the potential girls from this team like Rimpa Halder, Moushumi Murmu, and Sajida Khatun have already been called up in the national under-17 girls’ football preparatory camp for their performance in the Khelo India football championship.

Rajdip added, “It would have been a great inspiration for the girls if IFA had given them felicitation. But I am not yet aware of any such program.”

Incidentally, one of the IFA assistant secretaries, commenting on the issue said, “The girls deserve felicitation for their excellent show in the Khelo India Youth Games women's football tournament. But we also have financial constraints. So, a discussion on the matter will take place. I will surely propose. Then let us hope for the best."