India’s Ministry of Education and the All India Football Federation launched the second phase of the “Football for Schools” initiative in Kolkata on Sunday, aiming to embed organised sport into the regular curriculum. Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan oversaw the kickoff ceremony at PM SHRI Kendriya Vidyalaya, Fort William, where 2,487 FIFA-certified footballs were handed to participating schools. Union Minister of State and West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar said the programme will distribute about 80,000 footballs to nearly 12,000 schools across the state within the next two months. He added that making sport compulsory alongside academics would help foster discipline and healthier lifestyles among students. The Football for Schools drive forms part of the National Education Policy’s push to broaden co-curricular activities and increase physical-education resources nationwide. Organisers said further roll-outs are planned in other states after the West Bengal tranche is completed.