Manisha Kalyan Inspires Young Talent at ASMITA U-13 Girls Football League

The 23-year-old Punjab forward, who has played professionally in Cyprus and Greece, shared her own ambitions of representing India at the FIFA Women’s World Cup and the Olympics.

India’s leading women’s footballer Manisha Kalyan, the only Indian to have played in the UEFA Women’s Champions League, was the centre of attention at the Achieving Sports Milestone by Inspiring Women (ASMITA) under-13 girls’ football league at Nehru Stadium, Guwahati, on Friday. Addressing the eight participating teams in the Guwahati leg, Manisha described ASMITA as a “rare platform for young girls to realize their football dreams” and urged them to seize every opportunity to improve through quality matches.

Dreams of Global Football Glory

The 23-year-old Punjab forward, who has played professionally in Cyprus and Greece, shared her own ambitions of representing India at the FIFA Women’s World Cup and the Olympics. She highlighted the national team’s recent boost in confidence after qualifying for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in Australia next year.

“The more quality matches you play, the better you will get. With platforms like ASMITA, your development will accelerate,” she told the young athletes.

Inspiring Stories from Assam

Manisha was joined by two rising football stars from Assam — Rekha Kataki and Dosomi Rowtia — both products of the ASMITA league. While Dosomi has earned a place in the national camp, Rekha has captained North East United FC in the Indian Women’s League Division 2.

Praising the region’s sporting culture, Manisha said,

“Football is in the genes of the people of the North-East. I grew up watching Bala Devi, and now 11 of my teammates in the senior national team are from this region. This shows the depth of talent here. Five years from now, one of these girls could be playing for Assam and India.”

ASMITA’s Rapid Expansion

ASMITA, launched in 2021 as part of the Khelo India programme’s gender-neutral mission, aims to increase women’s participation in sports while scouting grassroots talent. The Sports Authority of India (SAI) supports national sports federations to conduct women’s leagues across multiple age groups and disciplines.

• In 2024–25, ASMITA organised 550 leagues in 27 sports disciplines, covering 34 States/UTs and over 450 cities, with 53,101 women athletes participating.

• In the North-East, football leagues alone have grown fivefold since the 2022–23 season. During 2024–25, 25 football leagues under the Sports Ministry’s Sports for Women scheme engaged 1,615 girls.

• For 2025–26, a record 852 ASMITA leagues are planned in 15 sports disciplines, targeting over 70,000 women athletes nationwide.

Government’s Focus on the North-East

Sports in the North-East remains a priority for the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya recently announced the introduction of a North-East-specific Games in the Khelo India calendar to give athletes from the region greater exposure.

Manisha welcomed the decision, saying,

“This region contributes not only to football but to all sports. Giving athletes more exposure is the right way forward.”

A Historic Feat

Manisha remains the only Indian woman to have scored against Brazil in an international football match, a milestone she achieved in November 2021. Her journey, combined with the grassroots efforts of ASMITA, continues to inspire young girls to dream big, work hard, and aim for the global stage.