Reliance Foundation Young Champs, the residential football scholarship academy based at Navi Mumbai, has been adjudged as the No.1 grassroots academy in India by the All India Football Federation (AIFF), it was announced on Friday.
“The Academy Accreditation process carried out by AIFF for 2017/18 awarded the highest rating of ‘4 Star’ to Reliance Foundation Young Champs,” said a statement from the Reliance Foundation.
Reliance Foundation Young Champs is the first football academy in the country to receive the highest rating order of ‘4 Star’ since the commencement of Academy Accreditation process by AIFF in 2015.
The highest citation by AIFF has come just 48 hours after Reliance Foundation was conferred the prestigious Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar 2017 for Sports For Development initiatives at grassroots level across India.
The award was presented to Reliance Foundation Founder & Chairperson Nita Ambani by President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
“Two accolades in the span of two days is a recognition of our efforts towards sports development through grassroots initiatives, talent scouting, nurturing and defining path for our youth to take up sports professionally,” said Reliance Foundation.
A total of 48 talents (aged between 11 to 14) scouted through Indian Super League Clubs’ grassroots program are presently being trained at its Navi Mumbai base.
