In Zawar, where dawn is traditionally accompanied by the sounds of mining, heavy trucks transport ore from zinc mines along narrow roads. For decades, this remote corner of southern Rajasthan was known for its mining industry. However, outside the mines and smelters, on a green patch among rocky hills, children gather in football kits.
Some of them come from neighboring villages, others live in the academy's dormitory, and some are the first in their families to leave for sports. Training includes ball passing drills, sprints, and goalkeeping sessions. Thus, in a city built on extracting resources from the earth, talented footballers are now being nurtured.
This has been happening on a large scale in recent years: since the establishment of the Zinc Football program in 2017, over 5000 children have passed through it. Some of them have represented India, while others have signed contracts with professional clubs such as Ashish Chhetri (South United FC), Rajguru Sarkar (NorthEast United FC), Prem Hansdak (Mohun Bagan), Mohammed Kaif (Hyderabad FC), Sahil Punia (Bengaluru FC), and Akshat (NorthEast United FC).
Historical Foundation
To understand why football has taken root in this place, one must look to the past. Even before the establishment of the Zinc Football Academy in Zawar, there was a connection to the sport. Ayonava Bagchi, a senior club member, notes: 'You cannot understand the history of this academy without knowing Zawar itself. It is a mining area, but it is also a very beautiful place situated among hills. And many do not know that there is a rich football history here.'
This history dates back to the 1960s, when the town began hosting the MKM (Mohan Kumar Mangalam) tournament, a competition that once attracted the strongest rural clubs of Rajasthan. Bagchi adds that the tournament is still held, and the memory of it lives on: 'The other day, near the field, there is a gentle hill where women, children, entire families sit watching football. This is not what you expect from Rajasthan.'
This local interest became the basis for larger development. When Hindustan Zinc began considering long-term investments in the community around its mines, Zawar proved to be the ideal candidate, as a football culture already existed there, albeit lacking structure.
Academy Model
The academy was opened in 2017, and its model was extremely simple: remove all obstacles preventing rural children from playing sports. All costs were eliminated: no fees, no equipment costs, no accommodation expenses, or food payments. Bagchi emphasizes the importance of this decision: 'It was important that parents did not spend a single rupee. Clothing, food, accommodation, training, physiotherapy, mental preparation—everything was covered.'
This decision expanded the pool of participants. Most children are from surrounding villages of Zawar, from farming communities, tribal communities, and low-income families for whom organized sports often seemed inaccessible. Where football used to mean open fields, uneven surfaces, and bare feet for many, at the Zinc Football Academy, it means artificial turf, recovery rooms, performance analysis technology, licensed coaches, and housing.
However, perhaps the strongest feature is the integration with education. Bagchi explains: 'First, they thought about education. There was already a school in Zawar, and the football campus was built right next to it.' The result was an integrated system: training, study, recovery, repetition. Currently, the academy hosts 70 players in three groups: girls under 15, boys under 18, and boys under 23. Furthermore, through Zinc Football Community schools across Rajasthan, more than 300 children are educated every week.
Proof of Effectiveness
For many years, Rajasthan remained off the football map of India, but Zawar is changing this situation. Mohammed Kaif, one of the academy's outstanding players, has already represented India at the under-16 level, winning four international matches. Before him, Sahil Punia became the first academy player to wear the Indian jersey. He later won the Best Goalkeeper award at the SAFF U-17 championship and moved to Bengaluru FC.
For Bagchi, these names are important not because they are exceptions, but because they prove the system works. He asserts: 'When one child reaches such a level, the whole village starts to believe.'
Mina's Story
For 14-year-old Mina Kumari Mina, football started close to home. She grew up in Naka Bazar, Zawar, in a multi-generational family supported by small work. Her father owns a tire repair garage, and her grandmother often recalls the years her late husband worked at Hindustan Zinc. Mina first trained at the Zinc Football Community Center in Singhatwara. She played with boys, which made her faster. 'I always liked running against defenders,' she shares with The Better India. 'Playing with boys made me stronger and faster.'
Mina, who plays as a forward, started because of her older brother, who also trained there. Today, she is among the first scholarship recipients in the residential women's academy. She attends a government school, trains daily, and watches Cristiano Ronaldo when she can. 'One day I want to play for India. And I want my family to watch.'
Sonam's Story
Fifteen-year-old Sonam Ghosh came to Zawar with a different story. She is from Arambaga in West Bengal. Her father himself played football until a knee injury cut his career short. She continued his legacy. Moving to Rajasthan was her first real separation from family. 'There were days when I wanted to go back,' says Sonam. 'But I knew why I came.'
As a goalkeeper, she recently failed to make the selection for the Indian U-16 national camp. It was painful, but she stayed. This year, she helped her team academy win the Rajasthan Women's Series A-Division title, keeping five clean sheets in eight matches. She was named Tournament Goalkeeper. 'This moment reminded me that failures do not define your story.'
Bindya's Journey
Bindya Kumari Mina's path to football was less direct. She lives in a village outside Zawar. Her father and grandfather work as tractor drivers, and the work is irregular. Her grandfather lost an arm in an accident. To train, Bindya often hitched a ride to the school community field. Sometimes her older brother Sahil came with her. In 2025, she captained her team in the Asmita Khelo India U-15 League in Udaipur, where they placed second. This result earned her a scholarship to the residential women's academy. Her goal is clear: 'I want football to be my job. And I want to play for India.'
Significance Beyond Sports
For Bagchi, the greatest impact of the academy is not in trophies, but in changing families' perceptions of possibility. He notes: 'In many villages, sports used to seem uncertain. Now parents see that it can be combined with education, discipline, and a future.'
This shift is particularly significant for girls. Priya Agarwal Hebbar, Chairman of Hindustan Zinc, states: 'The most rewarding part of this journey has been watching our champions, especially our girls, grow into confident figures inspiring the next generation to dream bigger. Their passion, discipline, and determination give me every reason to believe that the dream of seeing India at the World Cup is closer than ever.'
About a year ago, Zinc Football launched what it calls Rajasthan's first fully residential women's football academy to address one of the biggest issues in the country's mass sports sector. Bagchi believes that 'there is huge potential for women's football. There are very few residential systems created for them.' In the ecosystem of Indian football, talent often exists far from existing structures, and Zawar offers a working solution to this problem. Every morning, as the mine sirens sound and training begins, the children in this old mining town continue to run towards something their parents could not always imagine. Perhaps they are running towards a football pitch. Perhaps they are running towards a life shaped by opportunity.
