-His joining aligns with the institution’s larger vision of building a strong sporting culture with the best facilities at the educational level, supporting players in building careers in sports.
Hyderabad, 11 September 2024: One of India’s greatest goalkeepers and Arjuna Awardee footballer, Subrata Paul, has joined Woxsen University as an Executive Fellow. The former Indian captain will inspire students and share his experiences from his 15-year international playing career, touching on topics such as team building, goalkeeping, captaincy, playing across the world, winning the Golden Glove, coaching, and life off the field. Paul will motivate students by discussing themes of hard work, perseverance, leadership, winning, and much more. Additionally, he will assist in advancing consultancy in sports at the University in various areas as needed.
The legendary footballer is widely regarded as the greatest Indian goalkeeper of all time. Nicknamed the ‘Spiderman’ by the Australian, Korean, and Asian media for his exploits in the 2011 Asian Cup in Doha, Paul is the only Indian footballer to have been given a nickname by the international media. His joining Woxsen University aligns with both his and the institution’s larger vision of building a strong sporting culture at the educational level, supporting Indian players in building careers in sports, and carving a niche for themselves on the international stage.
Reflecting on his journey and the opportunities provided by Woxsen University, Paul said, “I had heard about the sporting facilities at Woxsen University, and once I visited, I was pleasantly amazed at what has been built. Kudos to the management for having the vision and willingness to take on the social responsibility of providing the best for all students. As a kid, I mostly played on grounds devoid of grass and often littered with pebbles. Students here are lucky to have such infrastructure. This is the best university sporting facility I have ever seen. I’ve been fortunate to travel all over the world, but this one ranks at the top among most universities.”
On incorporating sports education into the curriculum of schools and higher educational institutions, Paul emphasized the importance of making sports compulsory. He stated, “We need to have compulsory periods for sports. Unless a student passes in sports, they shouldn’t be given a degree. Every day, for around 90 minutes, everyone needs to go out and play. They may not all turn into professional players, but sports make you a better individual. It’s high time every educational institution started giving extra credits for sports. This has been long overdue, and we keep speaking about it.“
Notably, Paul has played in Denmark for Vestsjaelland and for all leading clubs in India, including Mohun Bagan, East Bengal, Salgaocar, Pune FC, Hyderabad FC, Mumbai City FC, NEUFC, and Jamshedpur FC, others. Currently, he also owns a professional team, runs his own academy, coaches underprivileged kids at his own expense, engages in philanthropic activities, and supports the underprivileged.