Success stories from the backward classes of the Indian subcontinent have been highlighted in the past few months as most of the athletes from India's Olympic contingent battled severe odds to achieve great heights. Now, an 11-year-old boy from the slums of Odisha has been selected to train at the Bayern Munich academy for two months.
After Chandan Boro made it to a 6-year training program at Hoffenheim, 11-year-old Chandan Nayak from the Sabar Sahi slum of Bhubaneswar has booked a place for a two-month training facility at Germany's most elite club. He has been handpicked for an all-expenses paid trip to the junior academy of the club.
A look at Chandan's living conditions will assure one of the fact that this has been no easy journey for him. The impoverished circumstances his family lives in, however, in no way deterred the little prodigy from his quest to make it to the Indian football team. When asked for his reaction to the news, Chandan was quoted by ANI as saying, “I am very happy, want to become a player for the Indian team one day. I really want to thank my coach.”
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The coach in question is Jaydev Mahapatra who, in addition to being proud of his protege, drew attention to the challenges Chandan faced in his road so far. "His family is a broken one. His father had deserted him at a very young age. His mother works as a servant at various places and is able to manage the family. She has sacrificed a lot to ensure that her children are brought up in a proper way. Chandan coming from a poor family stands as a sign of bravery because against all odds, he has proved his talent,” Mahapatra said.
Chandan is the youngest among all the kids selected for this unique facility. Initially, he was part of a larger group from Odisha which underwent rounds of elimination as he emerged victorious. The age criteria for the group was set as “between 14-16 years” but special allowances were made after the selectors were impressed with Chandan's ability on the field.
“The same thing happened when he went to Pune. He surprised everyone including Sunil Chhetri, who was the head selector for this academy,” the jubilant coach added.
This will undoubtedly be a very rich opportunity for the 11-year old. The training academy reportedly selected around 120 youngsters from around the world. The selected few will be coached and advised by senior coaches who are probably ranked best in the world. This is also an opportunity for the youngsters to meet their German idols and play alongside players like Phillip Lahm.
Chandan, however, idolises Lionel Messi and looks at the Argentine for inspiration both on and off the field. As his coach points out, his story is quite similar to that of the Barcelona superstar who hails from an unprivileged background from Argentina.
Steps have been taken to ensure a safe and trouble-free journey for the Odisha lad who reportedly leaves the country on August 25. “Initially there were a lot of troubles but we got a lot of help from state and central govt. His passport, visa, and birth certificates were made within quickfire time. We have deposited his application with German consulate in Kolkata on Friday. We are hopeful that his visa will be ready in a few days,” Jaydev Mahapatra said.
