women's football

For 30 years, 65-year-old Laibi Phanjoubam from Manipur has run an all-girls football club, empowering young women through sports, weaving, and self-reliance.

Aditi Chauhan, the first Indian woman to play in the English League and goalkeeper for the women’s national team, started the She Kicks Academy to create a professional environment for underprivileged girls in Delhi.

With over 300 women footballers in the village, over 11 have successfully represented India and the state across age groups in various tournaments and won laurels.

As the captain of the Indian women's national team, Oinam Bembem Devi has led the country to a number of international titles and higher world ranking than the Indian men's team. However, few Indians know the inspiring story of one of the greatest figures in the history of Indian football.

In 2011, an American teacher and 27 Tibetan refugees girls, living in exile in Dharamshala, formed the first Tibetan national women's football (soccer) team. For them, it was not just a way to combat the gender inequality prevalent in their community, it was also a precious opportunity to represent their lost homeland.