New Delhi | About 10 lakh footballs will be distributed to schools across the country to boost participation in football and nurture a strong sporting culture among students, Union Education Minister Dharemndra Pradhan has said.

The minister announced this on Sunday at the PM SHRI Kendriya Vidyalaya, Fort William in Kolkata, where he flagged off the distribution of FIFA footballs as part of the Football for Schools (F4S).

"Approximately 10 lakh footballs will be distributed to schools across the country, aiming to boost participation in football and nurture a strong sporting culture among students," Pradhan said.

The F4S programme, spearheaded by Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), aims to promote football at the grassroots level by making the sport more accessible to students within the school system.

In India, the programme is implemented by the DoSEL, with support from the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and the Sports Authority of India (SAI).

Under the F4S program, FIFA is contributing more than 9.6 lakh footballs for school students in India besides 129 other countries.