The pandemic has caused too much damage and there is no predicting which road it will take. It also landed a knockout blow on the Indian women's football team's hopes of making the 2022 AFC Asian Cup a memorable one.
The continental tournament was, no doubt, one of the most important events in the lives of the Indian team, and more so for the ever-resilient midfield general Indumathi Kathiresan. After all, it was the first big tournament for the midfielder, who was back in the national setup after a gap of almost two years, not because she was out of form or injured but because her employers would not allow her to do what she does best – hold the fort in the engine room of the Indian women's football team.
As expected, Indumathi made a mark in India's game against Iran, helping dominate proceedings once the team had settled into the contest. She covered every blade of grass at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, looking to unlock the Irani defense.
An inspirational character, Indumathi is well known for being able to step it up when needed, fitting well into the old cliché, 'When the going gets tough, the tough get going!'
The Hardships in the Early Years
From being part of a rebuilding act after the 2004 tsunami ripped through parts of India to overcoming communication barriers, and then not giving up despite being denied permission to play, Indumathi kept plugging away.
She was a few years away from her teenage when the tsunami played havoc with her life. But Indumathi and 32 others received a lifeline in the form of Subramanian Mariappan, the retired headmaster.
"We lost everything to the ocean," Indumathi told the Indian Super League. "But football has helped us rebuild our lives and given us a newfound sense of purpose."
After rebuilding in the aftermath of the tsunami, Indumathi worked diligently, both on and off the field, as she rose through the ranks and took up her place in the Tamil Nadu line-up. Not just her, but many among those who had been under Subramanian Mariappan's tutelage turned into footballers, playing for the state or the country.
The midfielder also had to battle stereotypes in her early years, with her parents not particularly convinced of her choice of career. Indumathi, however, wants to be thought of as a footballer first.
"I’ve always had to balance football and studies. My parents, at first, did not want me to play football, but I continued anyway. Once I started playing in the NFCs, they began to realise that I could probably do something with my footballing career," she told AIFF.
"But convincing them became more difficult when I’d get some injuries. As it is, I used to miss a lot of exams in my college because we were playing tournaments. We used to have separate exams, and one time, I had to sit for two semesters’ worth of exams at the same time," she recalled.
"Once, I twisted a knee and didn’t tell my parents about it. I informed them later when I went back to my village from Chennai, and instantly, my mother asked me to stop playing. But I was as stubborn as they were. I threatened to run away from home if they made me stop playing football. I guess they now realise that my obsession with the game was good," Indumathi said.
That stubborn and determined nature meant Indumathi would not back down from her dreams, and sure enough, donning the India colours would become a reality for her. However, she’d have to deal with another major hurdle just before announcing herself in the Indian jersey.
Communication was a problem as she was the only one from Tamil Nadu then and could not speak Hindi or English. Yet again, her determined self came to the fore as she overcame the barrier, and now looks to help players who face similar problems.
“Now, when I see others coming into the team from Tamil Nadu, I try to help them in these matters. I don’t want them to face the same communication problems that I used to face,” Indumathi said. “That’s how you move forward together.”
Making the Jump to the Senior Level
It was in 2014 that Indumathi first played for the Indian women’s team and began with six goals in the SAFF Women’s Championship, thus cementing her place in the starting line-up. From there on in, she became a crucial part of the team and went on to win Gold in 2016 in the South Asian Games.
Indumathi would follow that up with a couple of good campaigns in the SAFF Championship later for India. In 2019, she finished as the joint-top scorer in the SAFF Championship as well.
And while that’s what happened in the Indian team, the combative midfielder, on other days, was pulling the strings in the Tamil Nadu side at the Senior National Championship. Her talismanic performances helped her state win the Championship in 2018.
In the Indian Women’s League, Indumathi, who played for Sethu FC was one of the driving forces in their title run-in in 2018-19, playing a crucial role in the final against Manipur Police with two assists.
The Indian football fraternity, if they didn’t know already, knew by now that Indumathi was a player to look out for, one who’d play starring roles going forward. India had well and truly found their midfield general, and the only way from then on in would be towards more laurels.
But, 2019 and Pandemic Struck
After a successful few years, almost half a decade at the senior level, Indumathi’s career would hit another roadblock. The summer of 2019 would be one of the most painful for the Tamil Nadu footballer as she was denied permission to play for Sethu FC or the Indian team.
It was reported that the midfielder, after a few seasons of stellar performances for both club and country, would not turn out for either as her employers Tamil Nadu Police denied her the clearance needed for the same.
Stubborn as she was, Indumathi did not give up hope – she wanted football to be her identity first, and having dealt with hurdles such as the tsunami, stereotypes, and communication barriers, she wasn’t about to throw in the towel just yet.
And once the pandemic hit, she spent hours in the sweltering heat of Chennai as a frontline worker. She spent hours, sometimes more than 12 hours a day, patrolling the streets of Chennai.
“It was a demanding time for me personally. I barely had the time to do anything else,” Indumathi had told the AIFF in an interview. “In difficult times like these, you generally want to spend some time with your family, but I did not have many opportunities to do that. It is a call for the nation. I had to ‘play for the nation’ every day during the COVID-19 pandemic, and I had to respond fast.”
The Indian women’s team had already begun preparations for the AFC Asian Cup, while Indumathi, who had already played more than 30 games for India, was yet to get the call-up.
Indu, as she is also known among her teammates and fans, had steadfastly remained disciplined and hard-working through and through, determined to find a way back into the India team. Her prayers and dreams were eventually answered in the first half of 2021 as she rejoined the national team and took charge of the midfield.
And goodness gracious, did that help the team as well – just ask Manisha Kalyan, who was dead sure Indumathi would find a way to get the ball across to her against Brazil. Moments later, Manisha scored India’s only goal against a team in the top 10.
The second half in Indumathi’s career had just kicked off as India crisscrossed the globe in preparation for the continental tournament.
Grit, determination, and a deep-lying desire to put the best foot forward are expected to be her themes yet again.