Mission XI million flagged off by Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and AIFF in Delhi

New Delhi [India], Feb.10 (ANI-Businesswire India): A Government of India and All India Football Federation initiative, Mission XI Million was flagged-off earlier today by Vijay Goel, Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports and Praful Patel, President of the All India Football Federation. Driven by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's, vision of making football the sport of choice in India, Mission XI Million is the biggest school sport outreach programme done in the country. A first of its kind, it will encourage children to play the beautiful game, gain healthy habits and final motor skills and learn important life lessons in teamwork and sportsman spirit. The approach is to work with school principals and sports teachers and encourage and incentivize them to make children play regular football games. Goel said, "Mission 11 Million wants to encourage eleven million children to play the game and follow it. There is a lot of interest in the sport amongst the youngsters, and they are very passionate about it. We want to transform this passion into something more concrete and have boys and girls playing the game and being active. This is a mission to connect with these kids, to change football and sports in India forever." Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken encouragingly about MXIM. In a message to the nation earlier, he remarked, "Mission XI Million will take the beautiful game of football to at least 11 million boys and girls around the country. Children in every state, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, from Kutch to Arunachal Pradesh will get a chance to learn, play and enjoy football." N P Singh, CEO, Sony Pictures Networks India, said, "Sony Pictures Networks India is privileged to be the official broadcaster of the first International FIFA tournament that India is hosting. Mission XI Million not only gives a boost to the sport of football at the grassroots level, but also broad-bases its inclusion in everyday life. We are totally committed and aligned to our Prime Minister's vision of transforming the sports narrative in the country." Mission XI Million will take the beautiful game of football to at least 11 million boys and girls around the country. Children in every state, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, from Kutch to Arunachal Pradesh will get a chance to learn, play and enjoy football." Vying to reach out to over 37 cities and 12,000 schools across all 29 states of India, the initiative will focus on games that can be adapted to different field sizes and conditions, with special emphasis in small sided games (4 vs. 4 and 5 vs. 5). It is divided into three phases: seminars for teacher and educators, in-school activities and football festivals, which will run up to September 2017. (ANI-Businesswire India)