India Tigers

SUBCONTINENT SOAKS UP GAME
AFL looks to bring Australian Football to the masses in India.

Australian Football is a relatively new sport on the subcontinent, with the game only gaining a foothold over the last 18 months.

The first seeds of the code were planted in November 2000, when A.K. Saha, promoter of India's traditional game kabaddi, attended the sixth ASFAA (Asiania Sport For All Association) general assembly in Busan, South Korea. At this event Brian Dixon, Secretary General of ASFAA, approached Saha and requested that he promote Australia's traditional game of footy in India.

After two-and-a-half years, Dixon ultimately convinced Saha to take on the challenge, and from there, the minister for sports, the government of West Bengal, the Kolkata University sports officer and the YMCA all expressed an interest and a desire to promote Australian Football in India.

Following these developments, AFL India sent two Indian delegates, Ravinder Chadha and Pranab Bhattachajee, to learn the game of Australian Football. A week-long camp allowed the pair to grasp the fundamentals such as skills, game play and the rules, which undoubtedly would we somewhat confusing to outsiders of the sport. Both left as ambassadors of the game and headed back to Kolkate, India to teach the locals the great game.

In 2008, training sessions began at WBKA's ground in Kolkata with a squad featuring players of kabbadi, soccer and rugby backgrounds.

Following this the AFL's Yuta Kobayashi ran a three-week intensive training camp with the players. The purpose of this camp was to fast-track the skill development of the 70-player squad and identify the best players to represent India's first-ever Australian Football team at the 2008 International Cup.

Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting has also proved a great ambassador for the AFL in India, speaking as a special guest at the ITC Sonar in front of the Indian media and major businesses. Ponting not only spoke about his passion for the game, but his undying love of the North Melbourne Football Club.

Although in its infancy, the work of Sanjeev Nagar (AFL India chairman), Achintya Saha (AFL India member) and coaches Biswadip Chakraborty and Kishore Patra has meant the development of the game in India has progressed quite quickly.

AFL India is confident the Indian national team will gain great experience from participating in the 2008 International Cup and the knowledge gained will only enhance the future development of the game on the subcontinent.

Although such dreams are a long way off, one can only imagine how big the game of Australian Football could grow in a country with a population of over one billion sports lovers. If the code can gain even a fraction of the popularity that cricket has over the years, the sky seems the limit for Australian Football, especially considering both games are played on ovals of similar size and shape. The Australia-India rivalry prevalent in the summer game could take on a whole new meaning!

• Top