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New Delhi — The Embassy of Norway, in collaboration with Det Moderne India, hosted a special event to celebrate Minerva Punjab FC’s remarkable triumph at the 2025 Norway Cup — the world’s largest youth football tournament. The celebration also featured a thought-provoking discussion on the transformative impact of grassroots sports in fostering inclusion and community development.
The event brought together key voices from India’s sports ecosystem. Meenu Singh Bist, Director at the Department of Sports, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, shared insights on India’s strong and growing grassroots sports movement, emphasizing the country’s commitment to nurturing young talent.
Participants also heard firsthand from the Minerva Academy champions about their journey to victory, alongside Norway Cup representative Jen Naas-Bibow, who provided a deeper look into the global tournament’s legacy and mission.
A major highlight of the day was the panel discussion, “Building Grassroots Sports Ecosystems,” moderated by Det Moderne India founder Rina Sunder. The panel featured Minerva Academy founder and managing director Ranjit Bajaj, CEQUIN India co-founder and chairperson Sara Abdullah Pilot, sports presenter Arjun Pandit, and Y-Ultimate founder Beno Stephen. The discussion explored themes of access, inclusion, and the power of community-driven sports development.
The celebration concluded with a friendly football match between Minerva’s young champions, Norwegian Ambassador May-Elin Stener, and members of the Embassy team — a fitting finale to a day dedicated to youth, sportsmanship, and international collaboration.