(from Top) Basudebpur Palli Hitasadhani High School; (above) (second from left) Jitu, Mojaffar, Yan Cheng Law and Arindam practise at CC&FC. Pictures by Sanjoy Chattopadhyaya and Pabitra Das

The patch of green in Basudebpur Palli Hitasadhani High School is not big enough for Arindam Mitra, Jitu Das and Mojaffar Ali to kick around a football. But that hasn’t stopped the Belghoria campus from seeking sporting glory.

And leading the charge are Arindam, Jitu, Mojaffar — all students of Class IX — who have given their little-known school a whole new identity. Basudebpur Palli Hitasadhani is now the cradle of these three teen footballers who have made it to the 16-member Indian squad participating in the 18th Arsenal International Soccer Festival in Surrey, England, this week.

In its 42nd year, Basudebpur Palli Hitasadhani has around 300 students on its rolls, most of whom are from financially weak families.

A portion of the red school building — which has 10 classrooms — is awaiting a coat of plaster on its brick walls. The little ground, where students play during the lunch break, is occasionally used for volleyball matches.

“We don’t have the infrastructure or the space for the children to practise football but we try and initiate them into all kinds of extracurricular activities,” says headmaster Sanjivan Ponda.

At the behest of the school, students regularly take part in inter-school competitions. “Arindam, Jitu and Mojaffar have always been part of the school’s football team during such competitions,” he adds.

No wonder the trio can’t thank their school enough. “Since the Tata Tea Arsenal Soccer Stars (the tournament that picked the boys for the Arsenal festival) was scheduled during the examination, many of our teachers didn’t want us to go. But our headmaster encouraged us and allowed us to play,” smiles Arindam, who like Jitu and Mojaffar, has grown up practising in para clubs. Now, all three attend the Russi Modi Football Academy in Maidan.

“We would often miss class due to our practice sessions at the Academy but our headmaster always excused us.... I wouldn’t have been able to participate in the Arsenal tournament had my school not stood by me,” echoes Jitu.