Mia Hamm has once famously said, “The person that said winning isn’t everything never won anything.” And for Manipur’s Heirangkhongjam Linda Chanu and Lisham Babina Devi, football isn’t merely a sport they compete in to win—it’s a passion. Is it really a surprise then that when the pair participated in the Under-15 South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) women’s championships held in Bhutan, they considered it one of the most thrilling moments of their lives as the team brought home gold? And every great story has a beginning. For Linda Chanu and Babina Devi, it all began with Reliance Foundation Youth Sports (RFYS).
In April 2019, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) approached the RFYS and their training camps whose football competition is spread across 25 centres across the county, for a list of players to participate in the rescheduled Under-17 Women’s World Cup 2020 (now rescheduled to 2022). Among them, 240 players were screened at 6 zonal centres of which 52 players were shortlisted for the final scouting camp in Mumbai. From the 52, AIFF coach Alex Ambrose identified the final nine to attend the National Camp in Goa. Here, Linda Chanu and Babina earned a coveted spots on the Indian U-15 Women’s National Team.
Who Is Heirangkhongjam Linda Chanu?
A keen athlete, she is the the eldest of three children and hails from a family of footballers. Following in the steps of her father and grandfather, she began playing the game at an early age but was mocked for enjoying a sport that was otherwise considered suitable for boys alone. However, she remained true to her passion and went on to win medals in various sporting competitions organised by her school. With the encouragement of Coach Oja Khunjanganbi, she practiced and improved her skills, and began competing in national tournaments.
“I deeply appreciate the role of Reliance Foundation Youth Sports in my life. All tournaments organised under Reliance Foundation Youth Sports were very interesting and provided us players with a lot of incentives and our needs were really looked after. It was at these tournaments that I got inspiration to work harder and I really hope to have more engagements with them as my career progresses,” she says, expressing gratitude.
Who is Lisham Babina Devi?
Hailing from Thoubil district, she found herself on the receiving end of disapprovals from her family for her unfailing love for football. But, her resilience and determination never wavered, and she would accompany her older brother and participated in the sport with him and his friends, having no idea that participating in women’s football was just around the corner. Finding herself under the guidance and instruction of Coach Surmala Chanu at the Youth Welfare Club in Langthabal, she started to train in the evenings after school. After all her hard work and perseverance, she is now eagerly awaiting the opportunity to show off her newfound skills at the Under-17 trials that are scheduled to take place in October in Jharkhand. This tournament will help identify the squad for next year’s World Cup, and is hoping to get a call-up for the Trials for the National U-17 Trials to identify the squad for the World Cup in 2022.
“I really appreciate the benefits we enjoy by associating with Reliance Foundation Youth Sports,” says the 15-year-old. “The incentives given are a great motivating factor to perform well and succeed. I want to work hard and put my name on the international map.”