Kohima: The Youth Resources and Sports Department, Government of Nagaland, has been conferred the SKOCH Silver Award for its Grassroots Football Festival (Baby League), recognising its efforts to promote grassroots sports development and encourage sporting participation among children in the state.
The SKOCH Award recognises excellence in governance, innovation and public service delivery, with the Silver Award marking a significant achievement for the department’s efforts to strengthen grassroots football in Nagaland.
Launched in June 2024, the Grassroots Football Festival is an annual initiative aimed at introducing children to football at an early age and fostering a sporting culture at the grassroots level. The programme provides a platform for children aged 5 to 12 years to participate in organised football activities in an inclusive and engaging environment.
Unlike conventional competitive tournaments, the Baby League emphasises participation, enjoyment, learning and the overall development of children. It features age-appropriate, small-sided football matches across four age categories: 5–6 years, 7–8 years, 9–10 years and 11–12 years.
The initiative also provides opportunities for coaches to observe young players, identify emerging talent and encourage their continued participation in sports.
According to the department, participation in the programme has grown from around 142 children in an earlier edition to approximately 420 in the third edition held in 2026. The increase reflects growing interest among children, parents and the sporting community in grassroots football.
The initiative also received national recognition when Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted Nagaland’s grassroots football efforts during his Mann Ki Baat address in June 2026, underscoring the importance of encouraging sports participation among young children.
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The department said the award would serve as an encouragement to further strengthen initiatives aimed at making sports accessible to children across the state.
It added that it remained committed to building on the success of the Baby League and expanding opportunities for children to participate in organised sporting activities, with the broader objective of fostering a strong and inclusive sporting culture in Nagaland.
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