Calcutta: The Hero Indian Super League’s first phase of ambitious grassroots development programme for the franchises concluded here on Tuesday, with over 100 children participating at the Central Park, Salt Lake.

IM Vijayan, Jose Ramirez Barreto, Subrata Paul, Syed Rahim Nabi and Dinesh Nair were present on the last day. Piet Hubers, Uefa Grassroots Expert from the Netherlands, who was the special invitee, Scott O’Donell, technical director academies, AIFF and Subrata Dutta senior official of the federation were also present.

Hubers said ISL is a good thing to start with. “India needs something like this… But the focus should be on grassroots development.

“India should have a 12-year plan and try to be the No. 1 force in Asia by 2026. And ISL can help the country in that,” he said.