Dubai: Rocked with the recent disbanding of their two most successful clubs Mahindra United and JCT FC, Indian football has been dealt a breath of revival after Pailan World Group signed a five-year-deal to back the Indian Arrows on Sunday.

A 2010 pilot scheme to field and expose the U-23 Olympic team, exclusively made-up of Indian talent to the I-League; The Arrows are hoped to become the future faces of Indian football, hopefully peaking in time for World Cup 2018.

That's after the senior team — with an average age of 27 — led by 34-year-old Baichung Bhutia crashed out of the 2011 Asian Cup conceding 13 goals in three games while scoring just three. Now the emphasis is most certainly back on youth and further widening the game's appeal in the cricket-mad sub-continent.

Top clubs, Mahindra and JCT had both earlier folded their first team operations and re-branded themselves into academies, citing lack of interest in the game nationally. Money, they had said was not the issue as no Indian clubs have ever made a profit, but their backer's philosophies were more suited toward developing the game at the grassroots at this point.

All India Football Federation (AIFF) general secretary Kushal Das told Gulf News, that although their folding suited a wider trend toward youth development, "It was entirely Mahindra and JCT's decision to disband. JCT got relegated and that played on their mind. I believe it was more financial than anything else. But now we have enough takers in Indian football not to be overly concerned by their disbanding." From the ashes of Mahindra and JCT have risen; second division — United Sikkim, Kenkre FC, Ar Hima and league one Indian Arrows — who will move to Kerala after the latest deal with the education industry specialists.

Successful experiment

This re-emergence of other teams in different parts of the country only strengthens the widening of football's base in India, which traditionally has its origins in Bengal and Goa, with four clubs apiece from a league of 14 "not making the sport inclusive," according to Das.

"The Arrows have been a successful experiment but it had been impacting on the AIFF's resources; food, accommodation and on top of that salary. It was important we found a partner to support us and Pailan came forward with their excellent facilities at The Pailan World School."

"We still do not have structure at youth and grass roots level, that is still all in process so initiating and continuing the Arrows team is very important," said Das.

"Football is definitely on the up and recent corporate backing is indicative of that fact — it's just a matter of time for the sport here," Das added.

Of India's beverage, airline and sports mogul Vijay Mallya, who owns Formula One side Force India, IPL Bangalore Royal Challengers and I-League East Bengal and Mohun Bagan, Das said of recent developments: "The Mallya Group must surely be considering an increase in their stake in the sport now."

Off the back of the Pailan agreement the AIFF has announced plans to convert Kolkata's Rabindra Sarobar Stadium into a world class facility, of which India has few.