Author: Rohan Chowdhury

Rohan Chowdhury in Hangzhou Despite the nightmarish nature of their journey to China for the Asian Games, and the lack of any meaningful preparation as a group, India’s football team achieved their primary goal of qualifying for the last 16 with a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Myanmar. They will now face Saudi Arabia, one of the pre-tournament favourites, on Thursday. “We have done our job under the most difficult circumstances I have witnessed in my career, so let’s now go and enjoy it,” said Igor Stimac, the coach, after the game. “Let’s make it difficult for Saudi Arabia, and try…

I’ve been to a football match many a time, and I don’t even have a count to be exact. Football is my sport and is something I live for. But singing the national anthem for the national team on foreign soil is a feeling I had never experienced before. That’s what made this even more special, because India made it to the round of 16 at the Asian Games in second place. It was India taking on Myanmar in the last group stage match, and an all-important encounter for the Blue Tigers to move to the next round. A win…

After a long day yesterday, finally hitting the bed at 2 in the morning, it was an early morning call time at the rowing. With 5 medals at stake for Team India at the Fuyang Water Sports Stadium, there was no question of being late. It was a cold morning with a steady drizzle all through the previous night. The phone showed 20 degrees, but it surely felt like 15-16°c with a light breeze and fog all around. The event was scheduled at 9 am local time, so with an hour in hand, a quick recce was always helpful. The…

Rohan Chowdhury at the Opening Ceremony in Hangzhou In the words of Abhinav Bindra, “An opening ceremony is more than just a spectacle, it’s a culmination of dreams, sweat, and countless hours of dedication. As athletes, when we walk into that stadium, our hearts race with adrenaline, not just from the sheer magnitude of the event, but from the realization of how far we’ve come. I still vividly remember my first Olympics in Sydney. “I was a 17-year-old boy, wide-eyed and overwhelmed, stepping into that colossal stadium. The roar of the crowd, the sea of flags, and the…

The main issue we’ve faced so far in China is the language issue. Most of the people don’t understand a word in English, but they really try to be helpful. This is really important in the context of this article. I was assigned to go to the volleyball venue, where team India was playing Chinese Taipei in the pre-quarters. The volleyball team has had a powerful start to their Asian Games campaign with a 3-0 victory over Cambodia, followed by a historic 3-2 win versus South Korea, who are ranked 27, while India sits at 73. It was an important…

I was first introduced to Rahul Bose on the silver screen through the movie Chain Khuli Ki Main Khuli. The film revolved around the Indian cricket team captain, Varun Roy, portrayed by Rahul Bose, and a young orphan who stumbled upon a magical bat, ultimately leading the side to unprecedented glory. This film held a special place in the hearts of late 1990s and early 2000s kids. Later on,…

The Faroe Islands are an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark, located 320 kilometres to the north-west of the United Kingdom, in the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of less than 60,000, they are currently 129th in the FIFA Rankings (as of July 20, 2023). But the recent feat of a Faroese club has brought the whole nation together, to celebrate an achievement that was a far-off dream even a few years back. Ki Klaksvik, the Faroese league champion, have made it to the group stage of a European competition through the play-offs, just missing out on a chance…

With less than 50 days remaining until the start of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, the sport of badminton stands out as one where India will hope to build on the immense strides made in recent years. Over the years, badminton has delivered unforgettable glory, from Prakash Padukone and Pullela Gopichand’s remarkable All England victories – tales I’ve only heard of – to PV Sindhu’s impressive silver medal at the Rio Olympics in 2016 and her bronze in Tokyo, both of which I can recall point by point. Not to forget the Indian team’s historic victory in the Thomas…

There is great excitement among ‘Amago Fans’ for East Bengal’s first match in the 132nd Durand Cup, where they will face the Bangladesh Army Football Team, at Yuba Bharati Krirangan, Salt Lake, on Sunday at 4:45pm. In their opening game of the tournament, Mohun Bagan Super Giants, the other half of Kolkata’s great football divide, had thrashed Bangladesh Army 5-0. In the pre-match press conference, Lt. Col. Jamshed, the Bangladesh Army’s team manager, acknowledged their previous performance and expressed their commitment to address the team’s weaknesses. They have been working hard on improving those areas, and were hopeful of playing…

On this day 104 years ago, Suresh Chandra Chaudhury along with some other prominent names established a club ‘for’ the people who had shifted from the erstwhile part of India and then Pakistan, which is now known as Bangladesh. A difference in opinion led to the genesis of the club. On July 28, Jorabagan Club was set to play Mohun Bagan in the Coochbehar Cup, but the management fielded a team excluding defender Sailesh Bose, for reasons undisclosed. Chaudhury, the vice-president of Jorabagan Club, along with Raja Manmatha Nath Chaudhuri, Ramesh Chandra Sen and Aurobindo Ghosh left the club and…