Ranchi: India women’s head coach Thomas Dennerby announced the names of the 23-member squad for the AFC Asian Cup — to be hosted in the country from January 20 — on Tuesday and in the process helped script a first for the state of Jharkhand. Sumati Kumari, the 18-year-old striker, became the first woman footballer from the state to earn a berth in the senior national women’s squad.
Hailing from a humble family of farmers in the rebel hit Bharno block of Gumla district, the tribal footballer was part of the three-month senior national camp that was hosted in Jamshedpur late last year.
Praising her feat for the state, Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren congratulated Sumati and extended his best wishes for the upcoming tournament in Maharashtra.
“Great! Sumati was among seven u-17 players from the state who were groomed and provided special assistance for training during last year’s covid-19 pandemic. I wish many more success to you,” Soren tweeted on Tuesday night.
The youngest among six siblings, Sumati has performed at the international level for the Indian U-15 squad in Bhutan, Hong Kong and Turkey. She was part of the seven-member Jharkhand women footballers picked for India’s now-postponed U-17 Women’s World Cup coaching camp.
With the pandemic striking, the premier event postponed and camps suspended, the state government and the chief minister intervened last year to media reports and sent the seven state’s U-17 prospects, including Sumati, to the Morabadi training centre in Ranchi for dietary support and training.
“Since May last year, state government has been taking care of all her requirements for physical fitness and training to help her (Sumati) pursue the game as part of department’s commitment to back every talented player so that poverty doesn’t act as an hindrance to their progress,” a state sports department official said of the talented product of the district residential sports centre and a student of St Patrick High School in Gumla.
Hailing from a humble family of farmers in the rebel hit Bharno block of Gumla district, the tribal footballer was part of the three-month senior national camp that was hosted in Jamshedpur late last year.
Praising her feat for the state, Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren congratulated Sumati and extended his best wishes for the upcoming tournament in Maharashtra.
“Great! Sumati was among seven u-17 players from the state who were groomed and provided special assistance for training during last year’s covid-19 pandemic. I wish many more success to you,” Soren tweeted on Tuesday night.
The youngest among six siblings, Sumati has performed at the international level for the Indian U-15 squad in Bhutan, Hong Kong and Turkey. She was part of the seven-member Jharkhand women footballers picked for India’s now-postponed U-17 Women’s World Cup coaching camp.
With the pandemic striking, the premier event postponed and camps suspended, the state government and the chief minister intervened last year to media reports and sent the seven state’s U-17 prospects, including Sumati, to the Morabadi training centre in Ranchi for dietary support and training.
“Since May last year, state government has been taking care of all her requirements for physical fitness and training to help her (Sumati) pursue the game as part of department’s commitment to back every talented player so that poverty doesn’t act as an hindrance to their progress,” a state sports department official said of the talented product of the district residential sports centre and a student of St Patrick High School in Gumla.
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