Sujal Kahar, a 12-year-old footballer from Mumbai, has been shortlisted as Indias representative at the global Football For Friendship (F4F) social programme, it was announced on Wednesday.
The F4F programme, supported by Gazprom and FIFA, focuses on the development of children's football, fostering tolerance and respect for different cultures and nationalities among children from different countries.
India joins the programme for the first time and will participate alongwith over 60 other countries.
Sujal, a goalkeeper, will join young footballers from around the world in St. Petersburg, Russia in July 2017. The budding players will play in eight-player teams, comprising boys and girls aged 12 years old, including those with disabilities, in the Gazprom F4F International Championship, according to a release.
He will also participate in the Fifth F4F International Children's Forum, which will allow youngsters to discuss with famous footballers and journalists how to promote the programme's values around the world.
The fifth season of the F4F programme will conclude with a visit by the participating children to the final match of the FIFA Confederations Cup 2017 at the St. Petersburg Stadium.
Sujal is one of 15 members of an underprivileged family and attends a tuition-free government school near his home.
--IANS
pur/bg
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