Sports must rise above politics, says Bratya Basu at Pre-Subroto Cup inauguration

Kolkata: State Education minister Bratya Basu on Tuesday inaugurated the 64th Inter-School Pre-Subroto Cup State-Level Football Championship 2025, calling for a renewed national focus on sports that rises above politics.

Speaking at the opening ceremony at Kolkata’s Gitanjali Stadium, Basu delivered a passionate address, recalling India’s footballing legacy and urging the Centre to invest more in nurturing talent at the grassroots level. “In a country like ours, where poverty is still a reality, football is the ideal sport. But without proper nutrition and physical development, it’s impossible to play football,” he said.

Basu argued that while talent emerges organically, it is the state’s responsibility to nurture and support it. “The state can provide infrastructure and support, but individual brilliance comes naturally. Unfortunately, we think very little in that direction,” he noted.

Recalling India’s past footballing glory, he highlighted milestones such as the fourth-place finish at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics and gold medals at the 1951 and 1962 Asian Games. “Our decline began in the 1970s. The bronze at the 1970 Asian Games in Bangkok was our last major success. Since then, we haven’t played at any Asian level, or qualified for the Olympics or the World Cup,” he lamented.