All India Football Federation (AIFF) president Kalyan Chaubey has appealed to the Tata Group to reconsider its decision to withdraw Jamshedpur FC from the Indian Super League (ISL), describing the move as “shocking” and warning it could hurt Indian football at a critical juncture.
The appeal comes after Tata Steel confirmed that Jamshedpur FC would exit the ISL as part of what it described as a long-term strategic shift towards grassroots football development.
Tata Steel Vice President (Corporate Services) DB Sundara Ramam has already ruled out any link between the decision and the uncertainty surrounding the future of the ISL, insisting the move had been planned well in advance and would not be reversed.
Chaubey, however, said the AIFF would continue to make every effort to persuade one of Indian football’s oldest corporate backers to remain in the country’s top division.
“AIFF would be happy if Tata remains in football, especially in senior top-tier football. If an AIFF request or application can change their mind, the AIFF would like to appeal that, for the interest of the players and Indian football, Tata should remain in the senior football league,” Chaubey told PTI.
He added that the federation remained open to discussions with the company. “The AIFF welcomes any suggestion and is ready to incorporate those suggestions to ensure the best possible outcome.”
‘This cannot simply be about money’
Chaubey said he found it difficult to believe that financial considerations alone had driven Tata’s decision, given the conglomerate’s long-standing investment in Indian sport.
“It cannot be because of the participation fee or management costs. When the board decided to withdraw the senior team from the top-tier league, I’m sure they had reasons,” he said.
“They are aware of how football fans have reacted. But I assume this cannot simply be a financial decision because Tata has many businesses and enterprises.”
A legacy beyond trophies
For Chaubey, the issue goes beyond one football club. The former India goalkeeper spent part of his playing career at the Tata Football Academy (TFA), which has produced generations of Indian internationals since it was established in 1987.
“I learned football through Tata Football Academy,” he said. “Since 1987, more than 275 players have graduated from TFA. I am one of them. Renedy Singh and I perhaps spent the longest period there.”
He argued that Tata’s contribution to Indian football had always been driven by long-term sporting development rather than commercial returns.
“Tata will never look at sport merely as a business or a source of profit and loss. They have invested not only in football but also in sports such as archery. Most of India’s youth football development has come through the Tata Football Academy.”
Remembering a turning point
Chaubey also recalled a period in the early 1990s when rumours suggested the academy itself could be shut down.
“There were rumours that TFA would be closed and replaced by other projects,” he said. “But after we won two junior tournaments in Germany and the Netherlands, it became a headline in London. Officials from Tata’s London office visited us, met the players and coaching staff, and the academy continued.”
That experience, he said, reinforced his belief that Tata had consistently placed Indian football ahead of short-term business considerations. While Tata Steel has assured that all existing player contracts at Jamshedpur FC will be honoured and that players will be assisted in finding new clubs, the AIFF hopes the company will reconsider a decision that would bring an end to one of Indian football’s most successful corporate-backed projects.