Shillong, Aug 13: Minerva founder and director, Ranjit Bajaj, inaugurated the second edition of the Northeast Open Dynamic Futsal Challenge in Shillong on Thursday, with the two-day six-a-side tournament bringing together 24 teams from across the Northeast at Ratson Arena, Mawiong Rim, Mawlai.
Organised by Dynamic Sports 360, the knock-out tournament progressed to the quarter-final stage on Thursday, with the remaining matches scheduled to be played on Friday.
The quarter-final line-up will see Be The Change take on Kemidon FC, while Eipa United will face Ratson Arena and Friends Combine will meet Bhaka FC. The tournament carries a prize purse of Rs 1.5 lakh for the winners, while the first runners-up will receive Rs 80,000.
Bajaj also stepped onto the turf during the event and showed that his footballing skills are still intact, taking and scoring a penalty in front of the participants and spectators. The successful spot-kick provided a lighter moment during his visit and demonstrated that the Minerva Academy founder is not only known for his work as a coach and football developer but can also deliver when presented with a chance from the penalty spot.
Bajaj also launched Powerade, the sports drink from The Coca-Cola Company. The low-calorie sports drink is designed to help replenish electrolytes and support hydration during intense physical activity.
Bajaj’s Minerva Academy has developed a strong reputation for identifying and nurturing young footballing talent in India, with the academy becoming known for its structured approach to grassroots development.
His Shillong visit will continue on Friday, where he is scheduled to conduct trials for Minerva Academy at Ratson Arena. The trials will begin at 7:30 am and will be open to players in four age categories. The U-16 trials are for players born in 2011-2012, while the U-14 category is for those born in 2013-2014. Players born in 2015-2016 will be eligible for the U-12 category, while the U-10 trials are open to those born in 2017-2018.
