Football
Anusha Mandala's inspiring journey from rural fields to national football arenas
Anusha Mandala's dreams have been turned into reality through her stint at the Anantapur Sports Academy in Andhra Pradesh, India’s first residential women’s academy.
Anusha Mandala, the centre midfielder for Andhra Pradesh junior girls team
Aspiring footballer Anusha Mandala, who joined the Anantapur Sports Academy, a sport for development initiative by Rural Development Trust in 2018, has secured a spot in the Andhra Pradesh State Junior Football Team. She has been playing as the centre midfielder for the Andhra team in the Junior Girls' National Football Championship 2023-24 this month.
Anusha's rise is part of the La Liga Foundation's initiative to develop potential and stimulate a paragon shift in women’s football.
Showcasing great potential from the start despite her humble beginnings from a farming community, Anusha’s selection signals a movement in the right direction for the Anantpur academy, and an example for individuals from similar backgrounds.
Further competing in the Junior National Competitions and Leagues in Bangalore, Anusha’s dream is to represent the nation one day, bringing laurels to the country and her hometown of Atmakur.
Forming India’s first residential women’s academy, La Liga's objective in Anantapur is to provide a platform for holistic development for the individual. By engaging and pushing for development through football, academy recruits like Anusha, are provided sports training, educational support, and social skills instructions.
Continuously evaluated by qualified coaches under the La Liga methodology, recruits like Anusha are provided exposure to the best training methods globally, including competitive games against some of the best players in the country.
Learning about different cultures, and honing her social and communication skills, while improving her knowledge about the game, the competitive interaction between players has been vital to Anusha’s professional development. In addition to residential services that accompany the training and development for the players, the academy also sponsors education requirements through its sponsors; going beyond regular schooling in rural areas to include education on social and computer skills.
