The Bengal Heritage Foundation (BHF) is organising a community football day for the Indian diaspora and the British citizens on 22nd August, as part of the start of the celebrations for the 75th year of Indian Independence. This event is in response to a call from Gaitri Issar Kumar, the High Commissioner of India in the UK, to bring communities together.
Gaitri Issar Kumar, the High Commissioner of India in the UK, noted, “The incredibly talented Indian diaspora in the UK makes an invaluable contribution in just about every sphere of human activity - particularly in academics, literature, arts, medicine, science, sports, industry, business and the socio-economic progress of the communities in which they live and work. Their contributions are widely appreciated. It gives me great pleasure to note that the Bengal Heritage Foundation has taken the lead in bringing together the diverse communities of the Indian diaspora in the Indian Superfans League UK. It is a very appropriate way to celebrate 75 years of Indian Independence. I look forward to a day when India will proudly rejoice in being represented by Indian origin superstar footballers globally. I congratulate the Bengal Heritage Foundation for their initiative and offer my best wishes to them and to all the participating players for the success of the tournament! May the best team win!”.
Rohit Vadhwana, First Secretary (Economic, Press & Info), High Commission of India, London will join the event as the Guest of Honour along with his wife, Femida Shaikh.
According to a press statement, the one-day event named the Indian Superfans League UK (ISL UK) is inspired by the premier Indian football league – the Indian Super League. This will be the first major Indian diaspora gathering post the relaxation of lockdown norms in the UK.
The tournament is sanctioned as a community tournament by the Football Association (FA) in England. The 6 fan clubs participating in the tournament are SC East Bengal Fans, ATK Mohun Bagan Fans, Odisha FC Fans, Mumbai City FC Fans, FC Goa Fans and Kerala Blasters Fans. The team owners have shared their home jerseys for fan teams and shipped them from India. The matches will be officiated by FA licensed referees.
Sourav Niyogi, President of Bengal Heritage Foundation said, “This is one of the many projects we are currently doing to expand our collaboration across Indian diaspora communities and British citizens, and what better way than football, given England’s success in Euro 2020. We want to encourage more people from the Indian diaspora to take up football as a sport. There will be many more such initiatives to come up in the next 12 months, leading up to India’s 75th Independence in 2022.”
Suranjan Som, Vice President of Bengal Heritage Foundation and a second-generation British Indian said, “Football is in the genes of Bengalis, and we want to bring the Indian diaspora in the UK together through a common love for the most followed sport in the UK – football. We look to bring in superfans from all the ISL teams in the next edition.”
Koushik Chatterjee, Trustee of Bengal Heritage Foundation and the key organiser for the event, added, “The support and encouragement from the ISL club owners have been tremendous. I want to thank the clubs ATK Mohun Bagan, Mumbai City FC, SC East Bengal, Odisha FC, Goa FC, and Kerala Blasters for their support. I also want to thank the fan clubs East Bengal Real Power, The Juggernauts, West Coast Brigade, Manjappada, FC Goa Fan Club and ATK Mohun Bagan Fan Club for their tremendous support and enthusiasm.”
