New Delhi, Nov 9 (IANS): Minerva Academy has been accredited by the sports ministry as Khelo India State Centre of Excellence (KISCE).

The accreditation has been given after monitoring Minerva Academy FC's infrastructure and its history of producing footballing prodigies over the second half of the last decade, a media release from the academy stated.

The Sports Authority of India (SAI) and Minerva Academy FC have also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a period of four years under the Khelo India Talent Identification and Development Program.

The outstanding athletes identified under the program will have access to Minerva Academy FC's infrastructure and its state of the art campus. SAI will fund, monitor and evaluate the academy in consonance with Minerva Academy, the release added.

"I am really happy that we came to an agreement with SAI. Minerva has been given the Khelo India accreditation because of its history of producing young footballing talents for Indian national team. We also see it as an appreciation of all the hard work we have done till now," said Ranjit Bajaj, Minerva Academy director.

"Now that we are accredited by Khelo India, we will keep doing what we do the best and keep serving the nation the way we have been by producing young talents for the Indian football team with pride and dignity," he added.

Since the Khelo India Talent Identification and Development Program was launched in 2017, a bunch of institutes have been accredited under it across the country.