Patan, Aug. 19 -- A football ground in Gujarat's Patan district is becoming a launchpad for young girls, helping them pursue sport alongside education and challenging traditional barriers that once limited their opportunities.

In Mahadevpura village, primary school teacher and football coach Rangatji Thakor has been training girls free of cost since 2010. What began with a school sports competition has grown into a sustained grassroots football initiative, with more than 100 girls taking up the sport and over 52 reaching national-level competitions.

Thakor said his own journey into football began when a physical education teacher, Raju Bhai Chaudhary, encouraged him to play during a school sports competition. Footballs provided free of ...