Chennai slum boy played International Football tournament

Chennai: M. Dhillipan, a resident of a slum in north Chennai, is just back from a football tournament in Bangladesh where he represented India as part of the under-13 team.The eleven-year-old was thrilled to play against teams from 11 countries including Iran, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Kyrgyzstan and Pakistan.

His daily practice sessions in a public playground near his home in Kalyanapuram, Vyasarpadi, stood him in good stead when he battled international teams in the tournament organised by the Asian Football Confederation.The opportunity came as a great honour to Dhillipan who works hard at both football and academic lessons.He lives with his mother, who runs a small shop in the Kalyanapuram slum, and his younger brother.He is trained by volunteers of a small group called Slum Children Sports Talent and Education Development Society (SCSTEDS).

The young footballer was chosen to represent Tamil Nadu at a national training camp in Goa in April, thanks to his defence and tackling skills. "I was a bit afraid at first as I could only speak little of English, but I soon made many friends," he said.After Goa, came the two-week tournament in Bangladesh. Every player was allowed two matches every day. "The match against Pakistan was rough. A lot of people were delighted when I scored the first goal," he said.A coach rewarded him with a foreign currency note and only when he returned to India, did Dhillipan know that the gift of US $ 100 was worth about Rs.4,200."I will help the youngsters in my locality do better at games and school. I also hope to represent India in a World Cup tournament in the future," he said.