BTB Footbal Rocked

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First published in Sanctuary Asia, Vol. 31 No. 12, December 2011

Actor Sabyasachi Chakrabarty and filmmaker Raj Chakraborty hand over the winner's trophy.

The highlight of the day was however a never-before friendly tie between 2 teams of Sundarban Tiger Reserve & 24 Parganas Forest Division. The Asst.Field Director & Range Officers too were part of the teams. Both Sundarban Tiger & Biosphere Reserve extended full support to he initiative.

Eight schools from different villages around the reserve participated in the tournament.

3 celebrities from Kolkata, filmmaker Raj Chakraborty, actors Sabyasachi & Mithu Chakrabarty were present to add enthusiasm & colour to the tournament. Mrs. & Mr. Bittu Sahgal with friends too joined in at the start of the final match. We were literary mobbed at the prize distribution ceremony by the over enthusiastic crowd trying to get a close glimpse of the celebs present. 

The matches were extremely close!  

Salient points of "Football for the Tigers"

  • A football match was organised on December 15, 2011 at the Sundarban's Rajatjubilee High School ground under the Bengal Tiger Bachaao campaign.
  • Eight school teams from different villages around the reserve participated in the tournament.
  • The  Rajatjubilee High School won the tournament!
  • Members of the Sundarban Tiger Reserve Forest Department also participated in the matches.
  • The Forest Department and villages extended their wholehearted support to the event.
  • Sabyasachi and Mithu Chakrabarty and Raj Chakraborty endorsed the event.
  • Bittu Sahgal, Editor, Sanctuary Asia and his wife joined the teams at the event.
  • SHER and SNSWS were partners for the event. 

Bittu Sahgal, Editor, Sanctuary Asia, Sabyasachi Chakrabarty and Raj Chakraborty greet the finalists before the last match.

Bittu Sahgal, Editor, Sanctuary Asia, Sabyasachi Chakrabarty and Raj Chakraborty greet the finalists before the last match.

The participants learnt about the Kids for Tigers programme and why the tournament was being conducted.

The participants learnt about the Kids for Tigers programme and why the tournament was being conducted.

The match between the Sundarban Tiger Reserve XI and 24 Parganas (South) Forest Division XI teams was a close one!

The match between the Sundarban Tiger Reserve XI and 24 Parganas (South) Forest Division XI teams was a close one! 

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