Manipur’s Ngangom Bala Devi is ‘pride of Indian Football’: Kiren Rijiju

IMPHAL | SEPT 08, 2020:

The Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Kiren Rijiju on Monday tweeted about the rising woman footballer from Manipur, Ngangom Bala Devi and called her the 'pride of Indian Football'.

Ngangom, who is playing for Scotland FC Rangers, got an 18-month long contract with the club starting March this year.

It was reported that the contract is the first of its kind for any women footballer from India. Ngangom is also the first Asian international to join Rangers FC.

Currently, she is also the top-scorer for the Indian national women's team.

The 30-year-old started her career with the national team in 2005 at under-17 and represented India in the first women's South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship in 2010, where she scored five goals.

She also scored 11 goals for India in the 2014 SAFF Women's Championship.

In 2016 SAFF Women's Championship, Ngangom Bala Devi captained India's women's national football team.

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has awarded Bala as the Women's Player of the Year in 2014 and 2015.