E-Paper
Kolhapur’s long-standing penchant for football
Qwing to the patronage it received from the Royal family, football finds an indisputable place in Kolhapur’s rich sporting legacy
Known as the bastion of the traditional Kushti, Kolhapur is home to some of India’s champion wrestlers. However, the city’s love affair with sports does not end here. In fact, Kolhapur has a thriving footballing culture that dates back to the pre-independence era.
Over the years, the city has produced Olympic champions like Khashabha Jadhav, who won a bronze medal for India in wrestling at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics.
However, owing to the patronage it received from the Royal family, football finds an indisputable place in Kolhapur’s rich sporting legacy.
Currently, there are more than 120 football clubs in the city, accommodating 1,500 local, national and international players.
According to Pyarelal Choudhary, secretary of the Western India Football Association (WIFA), Kolhapur has always been the football city of Maharashtra. The city has won numerous district championships and has been the stronghold for the sport in Maharashtra.
“Football around Kolhapur evolved because it got patronage from Rajas and Maharajas during the pre-independence era,” he opines.
In Kolkata, many commercial companies backed local football clubs. Similarly, in Kolhapur, football found an ally in ‘Talim Mandals’.
“Clubs are offering ₹2 lakh per player, so to build a team one has to invest at least ₹25 lakh per season. From these rough estimates one can imagine the gravity of the football in Kolhapur,” Choudhary stated.
According to Abhijit Vanire, who earned his PhD in ‘Kolhapur Divisional National Football Players’ Attitude, Socio-Economic Status & Sports Facilities’, the city has the second oldest commercial football club in India, the Jamadar Club, which was founded in 1928.
As per Vanire, the roots of Kolhapur football have a European angle as well.
“During World War II, the British held Polish war criminals near Kolhapur. The royal family permitted them to play football with local players in exchange for learning technical aspects of the game. Until then, football was played with brute force, but Kolhapur instilled skilful football culture since then,” Vanire, who is now a physical director at SB Khade Mahavidyalaya, informs.
To complete the turnaround, Shivaji Tarun Mandal defeated a Polish team in a football match, and the city has never looked back since.
K towners gear up for World Cup
There is a palpable buzz in the air as football fans in Kolhapur prepare to cheer on their favourite team at the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2022, which is being held in Qatar. Huge billboards and life-size cutouts of iconic players like Ronaldo, Messi and Neymar can be found in every nook and corner of the city.
During the live telecast, football clubs in the city are the best place for fans to congregate and cheer on their favourite team in a boisterous atmosphere.
This enthusiasm is not just limited to global events but transpires into local tournaments as well.
The upcoming football season in Kolhapur will begin on December 4, according to Manik Mandlik, secretary of the Kolhapur Sports Association (KSA).
“This season, 348 players have been registered, with 303 from the Kolhapur, 21 from other states, and 24 foreign players,” he stated.
The foreign impact
Michel Safah, a Ghanaian footballer, has recently been hired by the Khandobachi Talim Mandal club for the upcoming soccer season in Kolhapur. This will be his first time playing in a club match in Kolhapur.
“I heard a lot about the Kolhapur football club culture from my friends and decided to participate here.” They have made me a good offer in comparison to other clubs in India, so I have decided to join them,” Safah said.
Hailing from Nigeria, 29-year-old Abubakar has been playing for the same club for the past two years.
Having roamed around the world to play football professionally, he says the city’s passion for football is unmatched.
“People in Kolhapur are crazy about football. I like playing here because of the kind of response we get from the fans. I’ve rarely witnessed such strong crowd support anywhere in India.”
Ruturaj Patil, 28, has been juggling his job as a Sales Executive at Paytm and playing club matches since being signed by Balgopal Talim football club for ₹70,000.
Patil’s foray into football happened at the age of 16, and he kicked off his career with Jai Bhavani Club. He later played for the Zunjar club before joining Balgopal Talim.
“Football is in our blood; I was born and raised in a football club culture in Kolhapur, where I learned to play football in small gullies.” I am now proudly contributing to my club,” Patil says.
Elaborating how he juggled between professional commitments and club matches; the local lad talks about how big football really is in Kolhapur.
“Because everyone in Kolhapur understands the importance of club matches, our bosses make excuses for us at least during match days. My colleagues are frequently present on the field to support their clubs as well.”
For Omkar More, playing in front of his home crowd is an emotionally thrilling experience. Having represented Pune FC U-17 and Bharat FC U-19 teams, he boasts about Kolhapur taking the centre stage when it comes to football.
He harbours a dream to play for a European club and represent India at the highest level.
So, if you thought football only existed in Goa, Bengal, and Kerala, you’d be surprised to learn that the sport runs through the veins of Kolhapur’s most traditional hearts.
