It was a lovely afternoon, and the weather was perfect for football. The East Bengal ground, in pristine condition, provided the ideal setting for the Bengal Super League semi-final. One of the organisers, Tamal Ghosal, put it well: “The comeback of Indian football has to start from the maidan, and that should be the goal going forward.”
Debabrata Sarkar, Nituda to the world at large and the man instrumental in the uplift of the club’s facilities, seemed a happy soul as he ordered the famous fish fry and sandwiches for each of us present. “I am glad you all like what you see,” he said. “We have toiled hard to get the ground into this shape. Let’s have a Chinese day after tomorrow when you come for the second semi-final.”
The match was intensely competitive, but my focus was also on the conversations in the gallery. Supporters from both teams were cheering the players on, and every now and then you heard a gem. When a close chance was missed, the opposing supporters quipped, “If they shout so loudly, what else can the player do but look at the gallery!”
North 24 Parganas won the first leg 1–0 and will now play the second leg in Kalyani the day after tomorrow, while the other two semi-finalists, who played in Kalyani today, will await their turn at the East Bengal ground on January 30.
At the end of the game, Rahul Todi, the man behind the tournament, came up to me and suggested that I should check out the new constructions at the club. Nituda was generous enough to give us a tour, and it has to be said that things are shaping up extremely well, with the lights all set to be ready by March 2026. With the ISL being revamped, I would not be surprised if East Bengal request the AIFF to stage some of their matches at their home ground for the 2027–28 season. If that happens, fans will find a new lease of life, and the club will be assured of a full house in almost every game.
To return to where we started, the maidan is central to the revival of Indian football, and the spruced-up East Bengal ground can indeed play a key role.
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