QPR South Mumbai Junior Soccer Challenger Talent Hunt winners Shane Aranha (left) and Altamash Valsangkar (right) with Milind Deora. (Photo courtesy: Saran Sports)
As part of the 8th edition of the QPR South Mumbai Junior Soccer Challenger – A Milind Deora initiative held in November 2016 two talented youngsters were selected at a special talent hunt camp held in Mumbai in January 2017. The boys will be heading to London based football club Queens Park Rangers (QPR) to train at the QPR Academy for a fortnight.
The 8th edition of the QPR-South Mumbai Junior Soccer Challenger 2016 – A Milind Deora initiative, in partnership with English Premier League club Queens Park Rangers is India’s largest community football event. The event was conceived and managed by Saran Sports.
The championship attracted as many as 6400 children from 165 schools representing over 800 teams. Over 1000 matches were played. Besides 29% of the participants were girls and as many as 88% of the participants were from municipal and government aided schools.
Close to 60 children were shortlisted for a special talent hunt camp conducted by professional coaches after which two talented youngsters were selected:
1. Master Shane Aranha, 14 years, St. Mary’s High School SSC)
2. Master Altamash Valsangkar, 14 years, AKI Mohd Ali Mitha Urdu High School)
This opportunity is going to be a life time experience to train at the famed QPR Academy which produced English striker Raheem Sterling who shifted as a youngster to Liverpool in 2010 and is currently playing for Manchester City.
Profiles of the Winners
1. Shane Aranha (Position – Central Midfielder)
• Played for Mumbai District Under 14
• Played for Maharashtra state team Under 14
• Attended training camp at Club Boca Juniors, Argentina
• Played Under 13 Estoril Cup (Iber Cup), Portugal
2. Altamash Valsangkar (Position – Center Forward)
• Best Player in Boca Football School tournament
• MOM in QF & SF in Mumbai FC Master’s League 2015