Young Odia footballer to be trained by Tata Football Academy

Bhubaneswar: As part of its efforts to promote sports in Odisha, Tata Steel in association with Tata Football Academy (TFA) has selected a young footballer from Bhubaneswar to be inducted in TFA's junior batch for training at Jamshedpur.

Prakash Naik of Unit-6 Athletic Association, Bhubaneswar was felicitated by Minister of Sports and Youth Services Sudam Marandi in presence of Arun Misra, Vice President, Gopalpur Project, Tata Steel at a function organised here, a Tata Steel release said.?

With his exceptionally good skills in football and with all his determination to excel in the game, the 16-year old Prakash, a native of Cuttack, stands apart from the rest.

It was only after a series of intensive selection trials that he has been selected as a cadet of TFA.?

Prakash, who has been playing with Unit 6 Athletic Association for last 3 years,?could be graduating from the TFA by 2018.

Tata Steel will bear all his expenses during the training period, the release said. ?

Marandi congratulated Prakash and lauded the efforts undertaken by Tata Steel to promote sports in the state.?

"I am fortunate to be selected for the TFA team where my skills will be groomed and I will be trained, with the necessary equipment, under the right supervision," he said.