Heroes of the Vertical Sports

• Zinc Football Academy (ZFA) bestowed with the topmost Elite 3-star rating by the All India Football Federation
• Two Zinc football players, Ashish Mayla & Sayed Saniya, were selected for the Rajasthan state team
• ZFA, proudly representing DAV HZL School Zawar Mines, became the first team from Rajasthan to win the CBSE Under-19 National Football Tournament
• Four ZFA players represented Rajasthan in the National School Tournament and 2 ZFA players represented Rajasthan and Haryana in the Santosh Trophy, with ZFA playing a total of 24 matches
• AIFF U-17 Youth League, 4 home matches played out of 4; 2 matches won by ZFA against Sports Authority of Gujarat & Baroda FC and 1 match drawn against Rajasthan United Football Club
• Sahil Poonia, goalkeeper, became 1^st ZFA player to sign a long-term professional contract with the top ISL Club
• 15-year-old Mohammed Kaif, who joined our Academy in 2018, was handpicked to represent India at the 2023 SAFF Under-16 Championship in Bhutan, where he captained Team India on his international debut versus Bangladesh
• Debut in the Reliance U-21 League & qualified for AIFF U-17 Youth League final round
• Started 1^st U-13 (non-residential) team with players from the local community in Zawar and surrounding areas
• Conducted 2 AIFF Blue Cubs League for U-7 to U-11 players in Zawar & Agucha locations respectively

(A) Zinc Football Academy (ZFA) & Cluster-based Sports

Partnerships

With The Football Link, Young Monk Communications Pvt. Ltd., Vedanta Zinc Football and Sports Foundation, Rajasthan Cricket Association, Government of India

Key Features

• Zinc Football (ZF) is a marquee initiative of Hindustan Zinc that captures the passion for sports amongst the local communities of Rajasthan
• Importance of physical pursuits in a balanced lifestyle is realised through the Zinc Football Academy and our cluster sports approach across locations
• We also promote cluster-based sports at local, block, state and national levels

Major Activities & Achievements during FY 2023-24

• Support extended to community sports event, the Chittorgarh Khel Mahakumbh, benefiting 6,000 players
• ZFA boys played in Rajasthan State Open Invitational tournaments & won all matches
• Garry Church, a highly-skilled Australian coach and advanced coach educator, conducted a workshop for ZFA coaches
• Veteran Chennaiyin FC goalkeeper coach, Rajat Guha, led an online goalkeeping workshop for ZFA
• ZFA also had Mr. Mridul Banerjee, an ISL assist coach, to train our players Four Zinc football community schoolgirls got selected to represent Mohanlal Sukhadia University, Udaipur, in the West Zone Inter University Women’s Football Championship
• Four players from ZFA - Puneet Kumar, Mohd. Kaif, Himesh Meena and Prem Hansdak, were selected for the Under-16 Boys National Team Preparatory Camp in Srinagar. Two other players, Biswajeet and Riyas, also got selected for a separate India Under-20 camp
• At the Anil Agarwal International Cricket Stadium, the world’s third largest cricket stadium, 50% of the construction has been completed on the entrance, south pavilion, north pavilion, and ground levelling work. Additionally, 50% of the seating tier foundation work has been accomplished
• Regular training with 84 students ongoing at 2 community centres - GSSS Tidi & Singhatwada, at Zawar location
• Support extended for kabaddi and volleyball tournaments at the district level

(B) Promotion of Culture

Partnerships

With Tabla Wizard Pt. Chaturlal Memorial Society, Srajan The Spark

Key Features

• Striving to fulfil our moral responsibility towards the state of Rajasthan, where we are flourishing by preserving and promoting its rich heritage and culture, and celebrating its traditions
• Promoting and preserving local culture and art elements, reviving the use of dying musical instruments, and providing a platform for artists through ‘Smritiyaan’ and ‘Srajan The Spark’ events
• Regularly organising various programmes and events to promote and preserve the rich cultural heritage of Rajasthan on regional and global platforms

Supported 60^th Maharana Kumbha Festival

• Promotion of art and culture. Artists like Ashwini Bheede (Singing), Rajish Vaidya (Veena) etc.
• 40 artists in 3 days with 800+ people attending the event

Supported Srajan the Spark

• To promote Indian music and Ghazals
• Performance by Ms. Pratibha Singh Baghel, a versatile singer who mesmerised everyone by her captivating voice

Smritiyaan

• Preservation of Indian & Folk instruments ‘Vichitra Veena’ & ‘Jal Tarang’
• Jugalbandi by Padma Bhushan & Grammy Award Winner Pandit Vishwamohan Bhatt
• Attended by 4,000+ audience

23rd edition of Smritiyaan - a musical extravaganza

CASE STUDY

Mohammad Kaif takes ZFA to Global Stage

Since his debut at the 2023 SAFF Under-16 Championship in Bhutan, defender Mohammed Kaif has become a shining star on the global football stage. After Sahil Poonia, he is the second Zinc Football Academy (ZFA) player, and the first player from Rajasthan in over 40 years, to represent India on the international stage.

His track record has been spectacular. He captained Team India in the opening match versus Bangladesh, and went on to play a pivotal role in India’s ultimate victory in the championship. The crucial header he scored in the semi- final against Maldives was instrumental in scripting his team’s win.

Kaif, who had joined ZFA in 2018 at the age of 10, was called for a two-month long Zinc Football Scouting Camp in Chittorgarh, where he impressed the coaches with his skills and attributes. Later that year, he was awarded a scholarship at Zinc Football Academy, marking the birth of a new star on the horizon.

His journey in the international football arena has just begun, and we, at Hindustan Zinc, join every Indian in wishing him the best for a future filled with many more victories ahead.

Mohammed Kaif, a player from the Zinc Football Academy appointed as the Captain of the India
U-16 team