When I was in school, I was the goalkeeper on the football field. Perhaps that is where I developed the habit of anticipating every move, staying alert, and understanding opponents before facing them. From Maradona to Messi, I have always had a special fondness for Argentina. I am hopeful that Argentina will retain the World Cup title next time and create a true “Toofan” on the global stage.
Today, I had the privilege of kicking off the “1 Million Toofan Goals” initiative at Global Sports City, Peroorkada. The programme is being jointly organised by the Department of General Education and the Home Department in support of “Operation Toofan – The Narco Hunt,” Kerala Police’s campaign against drug abuse. It was a pleasure to share some light-hearted football fan banter with Minister N. Shamsudheen, an ardent Brazil supporter who presided over the event, and to join distinguished personalities including Olympian P.R. Sreejesh.
Through this initiative, students from 17,000 schools across Kerala will score 1 million “Toofan Goals” against the menace of drugs. Let there be no doubt: whoever pushes our children towards narcotics—whether film stars, businesspersons, or anyone else—will face an uncompromising fight. On June 26, International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, every student should take an anti-drug pledge.
Remember: Life itself is the true addiction worth having—let football be the passion that inspires us! ⚽🌪️🇮🇳