"They said football was for boys. So we gave it to girls.” In rural Bengal, one tribal couple rejected an age-old rule — and sparked a football uprising that is rewriting futures.
Battling poverty, taunts, and societal barriers l, Raju and Lalita Oraon are helping Adivasi girls in Shyamnagar and Bhandarhati lace up their boots — and dream of wearing the India jersey one day.
Their journey began in 2016. Their daughter Ishika wanted to play. The village said no. So Raju and Lalita quit jobs, and sold their gold to keep her training alive.
The backlash was brutal. “Girls in shorts will shame society,” people warned. Raju didn’t flinch. “If my daughter plays, why can’t yours?” That one line cracked open doors.
Their tiny training circle became the Shyamnagar Unite Adivasi Football Academy. Then came Bhandarhati Adivasi Sporting Club — where boys and girls practise together. One rule stayed firm: If you can’t pay, you still play.
Slowly the village transformed. Parents who once hid their daughters now push them to the field. Today, 70–80 girls train in Shyamnagar and 20 more in Bhandarhati.
For years, the girls played just 2–3 matches a season. Then leagues like the Kanyashree Cup and Reliance Foundation Youth Sports changed everything — giving them 21 matches a year.
And the impact exploded. U-13 girls lifting state titles. U-7s unbeaten in the Golden Baby League. Players reaching the Subroto Cup — and even the Indian Women’s League.
At the heart of training is Budhiram Tudu — ex-East Bengal striker and top scorer of the 2011 CFL season. He returned home to teach girls from muddy grounds to monsoon slush: “If you learn here, you can play anywhere.”
The biggest victory isn’t trophies. It’s freedom — to run, fall, rise, dream. “The children don’t want rest. they want to play,” Lalita smiles.