SRINAGAR: Three graduates from the Jammu and Kashmir Bank Football Academy have been selected for the 22-man JK squad participating in the Santosh Trophy.
The 78th Senior Men’s Football National Championship Santosh Trophy 2024 is set to commence on November 20, with matches scheduled across various cities in India. The tournament will feature 38 teams, and JK has been placed in Group A, alongside Punjab, Ladakh, and Himachal Pradesh.
The selected players, Athar Irshad, Huzafah Ahmad Dar, and Talib Nazir, have been trained at the JK Bank Football Academy. Their inclusion in the squad adds to the list of notable players who have represented both JK and India, showcasing the academy’s contribution to football talent development.
Chairperson of JK Bank Sports Board, Tabassum Nazir, expressed her delight over the inclusion of the academy players. “We are thrilled to know that three of our football academy players have been selected in the JK senior men’s squad that will feature in the prestigious Santosh Trophy,” she said. Nazir emphasised that JK Bank has consistently supported talented footballers, shaping their careers and helping them compete at the highest levels of Indian football.
Vice Chairman of the Sports Board, Syed Shujaat Hussain Andrabi, also congratulated the players on their selection, stating, “It is with this belief that sports play a huge part in strengthening the future of the country. JK Bank, which is at the forefront of securing the economic future of the UTs of JK and Ladakh, nurtures the sporting talent here. A good number of players have had the opportunity to grow and learn under the watchful eyes of JK Bank Football coaches before going on to represent their UT and country with honor and pride.”
