Where football is freedom: A Kolkata mixed-gender team is rewriting rules from margins

A mixed-gender football team in Kolkata, run by the NGO Bondhu Collective, is challenging social taboos and gender norms in the Kalighat red-light area. The team provides underprivileged youth with a platform for freedom and self-expression through sports.
As the FIFA World Cup reaches its climax far from India, with stadiums packed and fans cheering their teams, a group of children in Kolkata is fighting a very different battle for their love of the same game. Their biggest opponents are not rival teams, but prejudice, social taboos, and the daily struggle to find a patch of ground to practise on.
Get the full story
Sign up for Headlinne to unlock AI insights, political bias analysis, and your personalized news feed.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in