District Raisen Football Club coach Param Ashawar is a real example of what support can be. He is the sole reason behind the club’s success. The 36-year-old NIS-certified coach had reportedly taken a loan of Rs 10 lakh to fund a team of underprivileged girls from rural Madhya Pradesh. With that, the DRFC women’s club was born. Param’s belief and his sacrifices led him to use all of his personal loans to cover the cost of the team’s training kits, travelling and camp expenses.
As a result, Param has received multiple bank reminders regarding his loan obligations. But his loan has now been repaired by the team members. Last month, the DRFC team displayed a brilliant run at the Indian Women’s League (IWL) qualification. They created history by joining the Tier 2 teams. The team finished third in the pool, earning four points, including a win and a draw. The DRFC have also topped the season leader, Odisha FC.
After the team’s return from the tournament, Param in an interview with the Times of India shared his commitment and the belief he held on the girls’ team. “These girls had fire in their bellies but no resources. I couldn’t watch their talents go waste. The loans were a small price to pay for securing their future in the sport,” he said.
Now ridden from his debt, Param says that he can take another loan if required in rebuilding the team without thinking about its repercussions. He is aiming to bring IWL glory to Madhya Pradesh.
“I don’t know how I will repay the loans. But I am not losing sleep over it. The victories of my team more than make up for my worries. I will keep pushing for the betterment of women’s football in Madhya Pradesh until every girl who plays here dares to dreams big,” he added.
DRFC Forward Soni Munda has also credited the hardwork of her coach for taking a big step towards creating this team with a bunch of unprivileged girls.
Meanwhile, one member said, “Coach Param is our hero. We will never forget his dedication. We will return next year and try to lift the trophy for him.”
Following the success at the IWL Qualification, the Madhya Pradesh Football Association acknowledged DRFC’s success and called it a milestone step towards the development of grassroots sport for women.
AIFF secretary Amit Ranjan Dev said, “Raisen’s story inspires. It shows passion trumps money.”
(Inputs sourced from TOI)
