INTERVIEW-Soccer-Blatter keen to wake "sleeping giant" India

By Bappa Majumdar

KOLKATA, India, April 16 (Reuters) - Indian soccer can be revitalised through a strong grass-roots development programme, according to FIFA President Sepp Blatter.

"At present we are working on Vision Asia and our plan for India is big. We are saying 'win in India with India'," Blatter told Reuters in an interview.

"We want to wake up the sleeping giant. In the 1960s, the national team was good, but India has probably lost its way."

Blatter's four-day visit is the first by a FIFA president to India.

Twice Asian Games winners, India beat Japan in the bronze medal playoff at the 1970 Asian Games before Japan became Asia's soccer powerhouse and India began its slide towards obscurity.

"There must be more effort on development as India is not a poor country," he said.

"It's like USA. Football is not the number one sport in India, but education of public, disciplined efforts and respect will definitely improve the game."

Currently ranked 165th in the world, the Indian federation has channelled a lot of energy into the national league but without much success.