West Bengal Chief Minister strikes UK pact on Manchester City Football school in Kolkata
Chief Minister of the Indian state of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, is visiting the UK this week to further cement the state’s ties with partners in the UK.
During an interactive session on ‘Opportunities in West Bengal’ with leading UK industrialists, the CM announced a new Memorandum of Understanding signed between one of Britain’s leading football clubs, Manchester City, and West Bengal’s capital city, Kolkata.
Hailing the partnership – which will see a sports school being set up in Kolkata - Banerjee highlighted the state's love and the rising prominence in sports, emphasising that this collaboration will further strengthen its sporting ecosystem.
Last September, Manchester City and Techno India Group announced the launch of the only Manchester City Football School in India, in Techno India Group's home city of Kolkata.
The Kolkata-based Football School will offer students an authentic and creative football education program, drawing inspiration from the coaching philosophy and methodology of the world-leading club, which was crowned the Premier League champion for the fourth successive season. The program will be further enriched by the expertise of official Manchester City coaches, who will relocate from Manchester to deliver a bespoke training experience.
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Following last year’s announcement, Jorgina Busquets, Managing Director of Football Education at City Football Group, said, “We are delighted to open our first Manchester City Football School in Kolkata with Techno India Group, a leading education provider in West Bengal. We look forward to delivering a first-class experience with fully trained, full-time Manchester City coaches, using the same methodology as our programs in Manchester, adapted to each player’s level.”
Debdut Roychowdhury, Director of Techno India Group, shared his excitement about the collaboration, stating, “It is a moment of immense pride to partner with Manchester City and bring their renowned football training expertise to the heart of Indian football, West Bengal.”
During the session, Banerjee also urged British Airways to resume direct flights from Kolkata to London, making travel faster for students, professionals and businesses. She further highlighted West Bengal's business-friendly policies and sustained growth to attract UK businesses and investors to the east Indian state.
“If you invest your money in Bengal, you can gain,” the CM said, highlighting the state’s business-friendly policies, its growth and transformative social initiatives.
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Before her keynote address at the University of Oxford on Wednesday, the CM was also seen paying her tribute to the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in London’s Parliament Square.
Earlier in the week, Banerjee attended the high-tea reception hosted by the High Commission of India in London, paid tribute.
*With ANI inputs