Millie Chandarana aims to boost British South Asian representation in women’s football as she becomes a role model

Blackburn Rovers midfielder Millie Chandarana is on a mission to help increase British South Asian representation in women’s football and understands the importance of having role models in the game.

Chandarana, who is of Indian and English descent, revealed that she was the only Asian girl playing football that she knew of while growing up, apart from the character in the popular film Bend It Like Beckham. However, she hopes to change that narrative by becoming a role model for young girls aspiring to play professionally.

In November, Blackburn announced that Chandarana was the recipient of the first South Asians in Football Leadership Scholarship, making her the only British South Asian player with a professional contract in the Women’s Championship. The scholarship, founded by the University Campus of Football Business and the Global Institute of Sport, aims to promote and support the growth of British South Asians in the game.

Chandarana expressed her excitement about being a trailblazer in this initiative, stating, “To be the first one of its kind is great. Dev Trehan is pushing for change and really good to work with. I’m happy to receive the scholarship and hopefully we can build on it for the future.”

Despite the challenges of low British South Asian representation in the women’s game, Chandarana remains optimistic about the future. She believes that with the right strategies and plans in place, more South Asian girls will have the opportunity to play at higher levels in the Championship and Women’s Super League.

As Blackburn prepares to face Sheffield United in their final game of the Championship season, Chandarana reflected on the recent match against Watford, where she played against Safia Middleton-Patel, another British South Asian player. Chandarana sees Middleton-Patel as a positive influence in the game and hopes that their presence on the pitch will inspire others to follow in their footsteps.

With players like Chandarana and Middleton-Patel leading the way, the future looks bright for British South Asian representation in women’s football.