Grameen Football Gaurav for Dup Tshering Lepcha

GANGTOK, 20 Aug: The 2nd Grameen Football Gaurav, a joint initiative of local English daily Sikkim Express and Videocon D2H, for budding and aspiring footballers hailing from rural areas was presented to Dup Tshering Lepcha of Boys Club Academy by Thupden Rapgyal Bhutia, Deputy Director, Coaching, Sports & Youth Affairs Department, at a special function held here at the Press Club of Sikkim today.
Dup Tshering Lepcha, who hails from Ranka-Berbing in East Sikkim, studies in Class X at the Deorali Sheda [a monastic school] and plays as a striker for the Boys Club junior team, which did well in the recently concluded SFA second division Sikkim-League and has qualified for the SFA first division Sikkim-League to be held next year.
Addressing the gathering, the chief guest Thupden Rapgyal Bhutia congratulated Dup Tshering on being felicitated and also for the initiative taken by Sikkim Express and Videocon D2H of awarding aspiring and upcoming talents from rural Sikkim. “There is lot of talent in Sikkim, but there is lack of encouragement,” he said, adding that initiatives such as Grameen Football Gaurav filled this vacuum, providing kids with the much-needed encouragement and motivation.
Other corporate houses and multi-national companies should also come forward with such initiatives for the sporting talents in the state, he remarked.
He also thanked the members of Boys Club, highlighting that being one of the oldest sports clubs in the State, they had done a lot for the game of football and in lifting the game to its present glory. He also thanked them for coaching and starting the football academy for young and aspiring footballers in the state and for picking the talented kids for better grooming.
In his short address, Dup Tshering Lepcha expressed his gratitude to members of his academy and everyone who has supported him till date.
Sikkim Express editor, Amit Patro mentioned that Grameen Football Gaurav is a monthly initiative wherein a young, promising and budding footballer from rural Sikkim is extended special recognition of their prodigious talent. This will not only encourage the rural footballers in the state but will also boost the moral younger talents, he said.
The function was also addressed by NIPL Director, Shirish Khare and the president of the Boys Club.