The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Sudarshan chosen as a flag bearer for the football World Cup

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jun 01, 2006

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Sudarshan chosen as a flag bearer for the football World Cup

Chitra V. Ramani

Bangalore: Twelve-year-old P.S. Sudarshan from Bangalore has been selected as a flag bearer for the FIFA World Cup 2006, Germany. He is among the four lucky children selected to be part of the World Cup in the ESPN STAR Sports and Adidas FIFA Flag Bearers contest.

ESPN STAR Sports and Adidas selected the four children after a nationwide search.

The search was integrated with "Learning Ground", an on-ground school programme in 1,200 schools in the country. The contest was for children, who have unrelenting passion, immense knowledge and skills of football. Sudarshan, a student in Sri Kumaran's Public School, will be flying to Germany on June 20. He, along with the three other winners of the contest from the country, will be part of the World Cup match between Australia and Croatia that will be held on June 22.

The participants were asked to send an SMS and later asked to send in a slogan. "I used my mother's cellphone to send the SMS. I then wrote down four slogans and with a little help from my mother, selected the best one and submitted it," Sudarshan said. Sudarshan's slogan was "Planet Football in the sports universe is my second home." Sudarshan was asked to read out the slogan on air by Radio Mirchi. "After an SMS poll, 20 of us were chosen. We went to New Delhi for the final selection," he said.

He said that 10 children were selected after five rigorous rounds testing their skills and talent. "All the 10 were asked to answer one question. Of the 10, Shreshth Shah from Kolkata, Ajiteshwar Singh from Delhi and Sachit Kamlesh Yadav from Mumbai and I were selected," he added.

Jayagowri, Sudarshan's mother, said she had spoken to the school authorities, as Sudarshan would be missing school for five days. "The school has been very encouraging. In fact, the headmistress has asked him (Sudarshan) to address the school assembly tomorrow," she said. She said that one parent was allowed to accompany the four children to Germany. "Shreshth's mother will be accompanying us to Germany. If she drops out, then my father gets to come with us. She was selected after a draw of lots," Sudarshan said.

Ms. Jayagowri said that the venue, location and date of the match would be selected by ESPN Star Sports and Adidas. "It is two-day and three-night trip. ESPN STAR Sports and Adidas are taking care of all the expenses," she said.

Sudarshan said he has been interested in football since he was in second standard.

"I never thought I'd ever be able to watch a live match. It is a dream come true," he said.

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