7 girls of Bhiwani’s Alakhpura village kick their way to national glory

From the legacy of pre-Independence philanthropist Seth Chhaju Ram to his great-granddaughter Bollywood actress Mallika Sherawat, this small village in Bhiwani district has long held a place in Haryana’s social narrative. Today, it is women’s football that has propelled the village into the national spotlight.

With the Indian team gearing up for the Asian Football Championship scheduled for January next year in Saudi Arabia, seven girls from Alakhpura have been selected for Indian camps by the All India Football Federation in the senior, Under-20 and Under-17 teams.

While Sanju Yadav is a member of the Indian senior women’s team, which has departed for a training camp in Turkiye, Pooja Jakhar, Muskan, Parul, Himanshi and Ritu are members of the Under-20 team and are presently attending a camp in Bengaluru. Another girl has also been selected for the Under-17 team and is currently attending a camp at Anantapur in Andhra Pradesh.

With the consistent performance of the girls from the village in various national and international events, the Haryana Government recently set up a women’s football nursery here.

Football coach Sonika Bijarania, while talking to The Tribune, said, “Most of the girls belong to families of small and marginal farmers or landless workers with meagre resources, but they are brimming with talent and energy.”

Sonika said it had become a tradition in the village that every girl started playing football at a very early age. “There are around 150-200 girls who practise daily every evening. The village almost gets deserted as practice begins, as nearly all the girls aged six to 20 years can be seen on the ground,” she said.

Their stories reflect their grit and determination against all odds, particularly the lack of resources. The village is primarily agrarian, with farming as the main source of livelihood.

“We have not only stormed a male bastion on the ground but have also ensured a transformation in the mindset of village elders and families. Playing in knee-high shorts and jerseys is no longer a taboo here. In fact, everyone now extends support and encouragement,” the coach said. However, she admitted that the players still lacked requisite facilities, especially funds to meet expenses related to diet, education and family needs.

The coach, who also has an assistant female coach, said the state had done its part by setting up the ground and nursery, which provided Rs 2,000 per month to selected players. “But a player needs around Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 per month to meet all expenses for better performance,” she added.

One of India’s star players, Pooja Jakhar, who belongs to the village, shoulders the responsibility of supporting her family. Her father is no more, while her mother rears buffaloes and works on their two-acre farmland. The family includes three sisters and two brothers.

Sonika said they had not received scholarships from any business houses. “We are thankful to the Delhi-based Dharma Foundation, which bears medical expenses when a player gets injured or has other needs. However, these girls require more sponsorships,” she said.

Sarpanch Jagdeep Samota said the village, with a population of about 4,200, was proud of its girls. “The entire village stands behind them,” he said. When asked about support from the panchayat, he said its resources were limited. “The state government has set up the nursery with basic facilities,” he added.

Notably, the village came into focus in 2013, when three girls from here were part of the Indian team at the first World School Football Cup in Paris, where India defeated Romania and Denmark, though it lost to Brazil in the quarterfinals.

The then sports teacher of the Government Senior Secondary School in the village, Govardhan Dass, played a key role in preparing the girls’ football team. Most of the players are students from the village school.

Subsequently, the school team reached the finals of the Subroto Cup four times, lifting the trophy in 2015 and 2016.

The village is also known as the birthplace of renowned philanthropist Seth Chhaju Ram (1861–1943), who made a fortune in Calcutta during the colonial era after migrating from the village at a young age. He was also known for funding the education of legendary farmer leader Sir Chhotu Ram.

Bollywood actress Mallika Sherawat is the great-granddaughter of Chhaju Ram’s younger brother, Trikha Ram. Her father, Mukesh Lamba (son of Trikha Ram), was an officer in the Haryana Government and superannuated several years ago.