Hailed as India’s ‘Mini Brazil’, an MP village’s love of football is bringing about social transformation. School dropout rates have dropped, enrolment is up, parents cheer girls on the ground, new schools have opened, and now even a hospital. And, of course, the village’s boys and girls are making it to the nationals
Welcome to Bicharpur, dubbed India’s “Mini Brazil” by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a recent podcast. The name substitution sits perfectly on this dusty hamlet of barely less than 1,000 football-crazy souls, 550km from Bhopal.
Nearly every home in this village of Baigas and Gonds has a footballer or a football coach. Scores have dribbled their way to national championships, and even Team India.
