As many as 13 footballers from Narayanpur district of Bastar division have played a crucial role in helping the Chhattisgarh men’s football team enter the final of the men’s football event in the Khelo India Tribal Games (KITG) 2026. Chhattisgarh will face West Bengal in the gold medal match at the Swami Vivekananda Athletics Stadium, Kota, Raipur, at 7:30 am on Friday. The Chhattisgarh squad includes 13 players from Narayanpur district, three each from Jashpur and Kanker districts, and two from Raipur district. Speaking to ‘The Hitavada’, Captain Akhilesh Kumar Kujur said the team is prepared to play its natural game against West Bengal in the final. “The passing technique of the West Bengal team is strong. We will try to break their passing rhythm and ensure maximum goals against them. The strategies prepared by our coach will be executed during the final. We will also try to take advantage of playing on our home ground,” said Kujur, who hails from Bade Jamari village in Narayanpur district. Kujur had earlier represented Chhattisgarh in the Santosh Trophy held in Amritsar, Punjab, in 2024. Chief Coach Lochan Singh Baghel said that the Chhattisgarh team remains unbeaten in the tournament so far. “We had played a draw against West Bengal in the league stage. Our players have the potential to win the final. We will play our natural attacking game,” he said. Meanwhile, assistant coach of the West Bengal men’s team Saurav Chakravorty said his side would focus on executing its match strategy effectively in the final. “Most of the Chhattisgarh players have been trained at the football academy of the Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Ashram.

 

Their combination is very strong because they have trained together. However, our team will perform with the aim of winning the gold medal,” he said. Chhattisgarh Football Association Assistant General Secretary and Executive Committee Member of the All India Football Federation Mohan Lal highlighted the contribution of the Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Ashram, established in 1986 to uplift tribal communities in the remote Abujhmarh region of Narayanpur district, about 250 km from Raipur. Its impact is visible in the ongoing KITG-2026, where more than a dozen players across the men’s and women’s football teams representing Chhattisgarh have been groomed at the Ashram. Located in the Bastar region once known for isolation and conflict, the Ashram has worked for decades to provide education and opportunities to children from remote tribal villages, many of whom previously had limited access to formal schooling. The institution provides free education and actively promotes participation in sports and music alongside academics. Sports have become a key pillar of its development programme. According to Mohan Lal, the Ashram has developed strong sporting infrastructure, including three football grounds, one with astro-turf, as well as indoor facilities for badminton, table tennis, kho-kho and mallakhamb. He said sports have played a transformative role in the lives of many children from areas affected by long-standing Naxal violence.

 

Currently, the Ashram supports around 2,700 students from Classes I to XII, many of whom have gone on to study at premier institutions across the country or secured positions in leading organisations. The sporting ecosystem also gained national attention when the Ramakrishna Mission Football Academy became the first football club from Chhattisgarh to participate in the AIFF Under-17 Youth Cup and I-League 2.