AIFF Media Team Grassroots Leaders from across the country conducted Grassroots Football Festivals in celebration of the AFC Grassroots Day on the May 15, 2013. Nearly 3000 children participated in the festivals held across the country at various venues. The success of the Festivals is a significant step that the Grassroots Programme has generated widespread interest not only for the Grassroots Leaders, but also for the parents and schools. The Festivals were held across many States such as, Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi NCR, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Kerala, Gurgaon, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Mizoram, Sikkim, West Bengal, etc. This was the first time that Football Festivals have been conducted across the Country as part of a coordinated Football Festival event and AIFF hopes to have many such events in the future. Congratulating the Grassroots Leaders on the conduct of the festivals, AIFF General Secretary Mr. Kushal Das said: “As part of the AIFF’s continued focus on Grassroots Development, we have conducted 40 Grassroots Festivals across the Country with the help of our State FAs. We believe that a robust GR program is imperative for the development of football.” Mr. Robert Baan echoed the sentiment adding: “All India Football Federation has started to organise one of the most successful activities in Football, the implementation of Grassroot Football in most of the States. Within 10 years from now, India will produce the new Schneijders, van Persi's or Robbens.” Mr. Scott O’Donell, AIFF Director of Coach Education and a FIFA Grassroots Instructor himself felt that Grassroots Development was the way forward for the development of Indian Football. “It is great to see so many Grassroots Festivals taking place to help celebrate AFC’s Year of Grassroots Football. Grassroots Football is an essential part of the development of football in India and I hope this is just the start of bigger and better things for us,” he maintained.