Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday said the state government`s football development initiative `Project Mahadeva` aims to identify and nurture talented young players who could represent India in the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
The project was formally launched at Wankhede Stadium by Fadnavis in the presence of football icon Lionel Messi, and prominent personalities, including footballers Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul.
The programme is part of Maharashtra`s `Mission Olympic 2026`, which targets improved sporting performance and increased medal tally at national and international events.
Under Project Mahadeva, 60 under-13 footballers, including 30 boys and 30 girls, selected from across Maharashtra, will receive specialised training and mentoring. The selected players will get a residential scholarship for five years, along with world-class coaching, including training by foreign coaches.
“Project Mahadeva is a crucial initiative of the Maharashtra government to scout football talent at the grassroots level and develop high-quality players. We are confident that this project will produce players capable of competing at the highest global level, including the FIFA World Cup,” Fadnavis said.
The initiative is being implemented jointly by the Maharashtra Institution for Transformation (MITRA), the Village Social Transformation Foundation (VSTF), Western India Football Association (WIFA), CIDCO and the state sports department.
As part of corporate support, the Jindal Group donated Rs 75 lakh to `Project Mahadeva` through VSTF, while Mahindra & Mahindra contributed Rs 99.99 lakh, according to an official release.
This project will create a robust and sustainable football development ecosystem in Maharashtra by combining policy support, grassroots participation, professional expertise, infrastructure and administrative backing, it said.
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