Bicharpur
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YEAR-WISE DEVELOPMENTS
As of 2025
Ramendra Singh, March 20, 2025: The Times of India
Welcome to Bicharpur, dubbed India’s “Mini Brazil” by PM 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.
The village kicks off its day with the referee’s whistle and calls it a day with it.
The village’s remarkable football culture has fostered a unique sporting ecosystem where the sport transcends age, gender, and socioeconomic barriers. To think that this very village was once notorious for a different kind of high.
OWN GOAL TO GOAL KICK
The transformation of Bicharpur village into a football hub began in the 1960s. During that period, the village gained notoriety for illicit alcohol production. The village population, particularly its young residents, struggled with alcoholism. It was then that a footballer-turned-coach, Suresh Kunde, called a time-out and got the youngsters into a huddle.
The first Bicharpur XI was born. Suresh had a way with people. He knew he had scored when village youth would turn up on the cracked, dusty ground and kick the ball around, day after day, instead of running with bottles under their shirt. Senior players recount how they would rent televisions and VCRs to show football match recordings to children. It kept the passion burning. “Kunde Sir made great efforts at a time when no one spoke of football in these parts,” recalls senior National Institute of Sports (NIS) coach Anil Singh.
Kunde, now afflicted by paralysis, lives in Bicharpur village. The football ground is still broken and dusty, but now it nurses dreams.
DIL SE MANN KI BAAT
The village laced up and shook off its past but didn’t receive true recognition until 2002. That’s when NIS coach Raees Ahmed, from a neighbouring village, took over the armband from Kunde.
He identified local children’s potential and began training them. He says it was the then Shahdol collector, Raghvendra Singh, who gave Bicharpur its ‘Mini Brazil’ tag in 2003. “The local community’s enthusiasm for football was remarkable. As a coach, I felt obligated to support these children. Eventually, girls also began participating, and Bicharpur gained national recognition,” Ahmed says.
The ‘gaon ke footballers’ played hard, dreamt big but were brought down time and again by lack of infrastructure. That changed when Rajiv Sharma became Shahdol commissioner during Covid in 2020. On learning about Mini Brazil, he initiated efforts to promote its football heritage nationally. “I launched ‘Football Kranti’ as commissioner and established nearly 2,000 football clubs across Shahdol division. We held around 85 tournaments annually, engaging 30,000 children,” recalls Sharma. The division includes three districts — Shahdol, Umaria, and Anuppur.
“When PM Modi visited Shahdol, I presented the village’s promising young players to him. Modi ji was impressed and mentioned ‘Mini Brazil’ village in a Mann Ki Baat speech two years ago,” Sharma recalls.
PARENTS’ PRIDE
In less than five years, Bicharpur has planted its flag on India’s football map.
By the time children of this village are 10 years of age, many of them would have 4-5 national tournaments, says Ahmed. Durgesh Singh, for instance, is in class 10 but has already played in three national tournaments.
This village, on the outskirts of Shahdol district headquarters, has produced around 50 players who have competed at state and national levels. Roshni Singh, a class 8 student, is already playing nationals.
Football has emerged not only as a drug-buster but also as a gender leveller here. Bicharpur’s football tradition has empowered young girls, who kick a ball around with boys, cheered on by their parents.
“We hear people make sacrifices to send their children to Kota for JEE and NEET coaching. We, too, do everything in our means and beyond to ensure our children play football and travel to participate in tournaments,” said Prem Singh. Families here prioritise football training alongside education, recognising its potential to provide opportunities for their children.
BENCH STRENGTH IN SCHOOLS
The village’s football culture has also contributed to positive social outcomes. It has brought down school dropout rates, as children are motivated to maintain academic performance to continue playing. “It’s simple. You can play in school nationals only if you are in school. So we don’t have kids dropping out to work in the fields and such,” said NIS coach Anil Singh.
According to the 2011 Census, Bicharpur’s literacy rate was 45%, well below MP’s 69.3%. Things have improved significantly since then, say teachers. Only those who attend school regularly are allowed on the ground.
Till 2021, Bicharpur had just one school, that too till class 8. Today, this small village boasts of a private school and a Gyanodya Higher Secondary School. Lalita Parmar, a teacher at the Govt Middle School, says the increased interest in education is all due to football. “Even children from other districts are now taking admission in schools in Bicharpur so that they can play football. Last year, a hostel came up here for students till class 12. Before the hostel was built, there were only 49 children in my school but now there are 134,” said Parmar.
Football has also contributed to Bicharpur’s infrastructure development. The tribal welfare department has constructed a sports complex. Kuccha houses are now converting into pucca ones, and a private hospital is ready for inauguration soon.
A DREAM BICHARPUR XI
The community organises local tournaments throughout the year, drawing participants from neighbouring villages and even further away. These events serve as platforms for young talent to showcase their skills and gain match experience. The tournaments also strengthen community bonds and preserve the village’s unique football heritage.
Local coaches volunteer their time and expertise. The village has developed its own grassroots training system, where experienced players mentor younger ones, creating a sustainable cycle of football development.
Bicharpur’s football legacy has inspired neighbouring communities, with several nearby villages now developing their own football programmes. This ripple effect has created a football ecosystem in the region.
Former divisional commissioner Sharma opted for VRS around two and a half years before retirement and now extends ‘Football Kranti’ to other districts like Bhind. Football has fostered discipline, teamwork, and leadership skills among the youth. There’s hardly any crime here. Coach Raees Ahmed acknowledges the village’s transformative progress but points out the need for proper football grounds and additional facilities. “It’s football that’s turning things around, let’s not forget that,” he said.
ALL THEY NEED IS GRASS
Bicharpur’s goal run is, however, often brought down by lack of football infrastructure. Children practise on uneven grounds, resulting in frequent injuries. Female players face additional challenges.
“Many times, we girls have to face a lot of difficulties because we don’t have a changing room on the ground. Grass on the ground and basic facilities like a changing room, that’s all we need,” says Roshni.
“Madhya Pradesh’s sports department hasn’t provided adequate support. Simply allocating ground space is insufficient. Despite individual efforts, without proper govt support for infrastructure and facilities, Mini Brazil cannot truly live up to its name,” said Sharma.
The lack of proper facilities hasn’t dampened their enthusiasm, but it has certainly impacted their development as athletes.
“The people of this village are full of ‘josh’, and every child of every family here wants to play football. But for that, it is necessary to have good facilities. Without it, players will be found, but they cannot be groomed. The govt needs to pay attention to this,” says footballer Durgesh.
Bicharpur hosts a small Khelo India feeder centre where NIS coach Lakshmi Sahees provides training. Lakshmi, a local resident, said: “Due to frequent injuries, children often get discouraged and then avoid playing football. There are many children who play on despite getting injured and want to play further. It is very important to have a good ground here.” Local authorities have acknowledged the village’s sporting talent, but concrete support is still in the sidelines. The community hopes that the PM’s praise will bring about changes. ‘Mini Brazil’ will live up to its name.
