Udaipur: Hindustan Zinc, in partnership with Rajasthan Football Association, today announced the commencement of a massive football project-theZincFootballYouthTournament, with an aim to create a funnel to identify and promote the best footballing talent in the state. The inaugural edition of Zinc Football Youth Tournament will be conductedoverthenext sixmonths,covering all the 33 districts in the state and will see participation of more than 500 schools and over 5000 young girls and boys under the age of 15 years. Slated to kick-off from mid-January early next year, the Zinc Football Youth Tournament will start at the zonal levels, then to the state level in Rajasthan, the winners of which will move into the final face-off round to determine the ultimate Champion of Rajasthan, which is scheduledtobeheldinJulyatthefabledZawar Stadium in Udaipur. Believing this to be the platform towards producing another Magan Singh Rajvi from the State, Zinc Football scouts will keep an eye on each and every match and player to spot the worthy talents and provide them an opportunitytobeapartoftheZincFootball Academy at Zawar. The Zinc Football Youth Tournament willbeoneofthebiggest stateyouthtournaments in the country, and is in line with Hindustan Zinc’s commitment to ushering a football revolution in the state of Rajasthan. Zinc Football, the flagship youth football development programme of the company, with its residential academyandcommunityoutreachinitiatives, has already started to make a mark in the football landscape of the state and the country. Speaking on the launch of the tournament,MrSunilDuggal,CEO,Hindustan Zinc Ltd. said: “Hindustan Zinc has alreadybeenbuildingarobustgrassroots football structure through Zinc Football over the past couple of years. Today, we embark on another journey to take this vision forward and spread the fervour of football far and wide across Rajasthan by leveraging the power of the world’s mostlovedsport.StartingfromRajasthan, we intend to spread this module all throughout the country in the coming years.” Mr Dileep Singh Shekhawat, Secretary,RajasthanFootballAssociation said, “We are glad to support Hindustan Zinc for one of the biggest youth tournaments in the country, which will provide a platform for boys and girls under 15yearsofagefromallpartsofRajasthan to showcase their talent. It is really great thatHindustanZinchasdecidedtoinvest in grassroots football which will surely help Rajasthan prosper in the Indian Football map once again.” Hindustan Zinc also unveiled the swanky and shining trophy of the Zinc Football Youth Tournament today, at a glittering ceremony in the presence of Rajasthan football legend Mr Magan Singh Rajvi and Mr Kailash Chandra Bishnoi, I.P.S., SP - Udaipur. The tournamentisbeingexecutedbyTheFootball Link, the strategy and implementation partners of Zinc Football. Hindustan Zinc, has been associated with sports and has been promoting sportsmen for almost 4 decades when the company made its football stadium atZawarinRajasthanin1976.Sincelast 40years,NationalFootballTournaments are being organized every year atZawar Stadium. The company has also supported several athletes in the past who have brought numerous laurels for the country in international events. VedantaLimited,HindustanZinc'sparent company, has pledged its support to the development of Indian sports with particularemphasisonfootball.Vedanta's initiatives focus on social and economic upliftment, youth development, community building, women empowerment and promoting healthy living through sports. The company's football programmeinGoa,SESAFootballAcademy, has been at the forefront of developing grassroots football at the national level since 1999