After a spirited 2-4 loss to the seasoned Assam side at the Police Ground in Shahibaug, Khushbu Saroj, the Gujarat girls football striker, still had her black headband on. (More Sports News)
The accessory bore the inscription, in white: ‘Won’t stop, can’t stop’.
“It is a gift from my mother,” Khushbu said, smiling.
The 15-year-old started playing five years ago at the Kahaani Club in Ahmedabad. In a short span of time, Khushbu, whose father is a gardener, has made it to the state team and has played the Gothia Cup in Sweden thrice.
One of Khushbu’s biggest battles has been against the patriarchal attitudes shown by some family members. She is one of three daughters, something which her paternal grandmother grumbled about all the time.
“We are originally from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh. Our dadi would be like, ‘Only daughters are being born’. She would go on about it. My parents got fed up and shifted to Gujarat,” Khushbu told Outlook. She says this almost blithely, and not in a complaining or sentimental way.
Hectoring of some kind continued even after the family shifted to Gujarat.
“When I went to Sweden, relatives would call me. They didn’t like me travelling and wearing shorts while playing,” Khushbu said. “They would call my father and complain to him. It started getting to him. Around this time, he also had an accident. His patience snapped and he asked me to stop playing, thinking it would restore peace between him and his family.”
A week is all Khushbu could last without putting foot to ball.
“In those seven days, I realized I can’t live without football,” she said.
Khushbu resumed playing, and started making a name for herself in the game. Her father came around. Even relatives who earlier criticized her now call her and say complimentary things.
A loss of form some time ago was another challenge Khushbu faced. Subtlety with words is not always the forte of Indian coaches. They were blunt in their feedback.
“The coaches were hard on me. I was ignored for games. I told myself then that I have to raise my level so much that everyone should come to me. I shouldn’t have to go to anyone,” she said.
Khushbu credits coach Lalita Saini for playing a major role in her career. “She is like a second mother to me. My parents being from UP, they would go there for a month to meet family. I wouldn’t be able to go as our tournaments would be held at that time. Lalitaji would let me stay at her home, give me food and care.”
Despite the narrowmindedness of some of the locals in UP, Khushbu enjoyed herself the last time she was there. “I went to my Nani’s place in Lucknow. And I liked it.” Lucknow remains her top choice of destination for a vacation.
Khushbu enjoys the bhindi sabzi her mother makes. She likes singing. Her favourite player is Cristiano Ronaldo. Like him, her jersey number is seven. Asked if she would like to celebrate goals like Ronaldo, with a jump and a downward motion of the arms, she says a resounding “Yes!”
The team bus is about to leave. Khushbu joins her colleagues and sets off on a journey that promises to go well beyond the National Games.
