Last Updated:
Success Story: Poppy from Dhubulia dreams of playing for the country from a poor family to the state football team
Nadia: From poor family to state team, Dhubuliya’s Poppy is dreaming. Poppy Mandal has caught the eye by emerging from the marginal area of Dhubuliya in Nadia and making it to the state football team. This girl, who grew up in a very ordinary family, has now played for the Bengali team in under-19 school sports. He has just returned home from the competition held in Manipur. In this competition, the Bengali team took the third place.
Dhubulia Nivedita Girls’ School student Popi gave her secondary examination this year. His house is in Shantinagar near Dhubuliya. Father Bhadrakanth Mandal works in the land and manages the family somehow, mother is a housewife. Poppy is the youngest of three sisters. Two sisters are married. And his dream of playing football grew up in the world of poverty.
Poppy said that he loved to play football since childhood. Today, after a lot of hard work and effort, he has been able to wear the jersey of the state team and play. Showing the medal hanging around his neck, Poppy said, “I want to go further. If I play well, everyone will recognize me. I just want one thing, that is your blessings.” He also expressed his desire to play in the national team in the future.
Narayan Sengupta, Poppy’s first coach, said, “From the time he was in the fifth grade, the school teachers noticed Poppy’s playing talent and fighting spirit. After that, he was handed over to him for football training. Poppy has reached this place today as a result of hard work.” He also said, “It is our hope that he will go ahead and shine the face of the school.”
It may be noted that around five girls from the marginalized and backward Dhubulia area have already got the opportunity to play at the national level under Narayan Sengupta’s training.
Mainak Debnath
Kolkata, West Bengal
Success Story: Father cultivates other’s land, daughter shakes the field with soccer feet in state jersey
