M.K. Kashmina, Kiran Pisda & Jyoti Chauhan, India's women's football trio in the Croatian league

It may be off-season for the Croatian women’s football league — but there is never a dull moment in Dinamo Zagreb for Indian footballers M.K. Kashmina, Kiran Pisda and Jyoti Chauhan.

When the National Herald reached out to Kashmina on Tuesday, 5 December, she was getting ready for a session of Futsal. ‘’After the Women’s League ended here last month, the coaching staff made arrangements for us to play Futsal till the Christmas break,’’ Kashmina chirps over phone.

The young woman from Manipur, along with Kiran Pisda of Chhattisgarh, is one of the two women from India who have broken barriers in the sport, having been offered a one-year contract by Luka Modric’s erstwhile club after an elite trial in Kolkata last June. Meanwhile, Jyoti Chauhan, the India striker, is spending her second season with the club. 

It’s been a rough ride, though, for Kashmina, 24, and Pisda, 22, both of whom have been inspired by the likes of Bem Bem Devi, Bala Devi and current national captain Asha Lata. Bala Devi, in her turn, had been a trendsetter of sorts with her contract with the Rangers FC in Scotland.

After some initial struggle, their first big break came when for Kashmina and Pisda were spotted by Dinamo head coach Marija Damjanovic at the AIFF Centre of Excellence. 

‘’It’s been just more than a month that we have come here, and the difference in standards in Europe and Asia is rather huge," says Kashmina, who hails from an economically disprivileged family in Manipur, though her father Mohammed Kasem Ali dared to dream big for his daughter. "The pace of women’s football here is a lot more, and the strength coach is working on us to improve on that area,’’ she adds.  

‘’Football, as you know, is a religion in Manipur. My father played the game at a good level and coaxed me into it, always backing me despite the criticism in a Muslim neighbourhood about wearing my hair short or attending practice in shorts,’’ she recalls.

A knee injury in 2018 almost threatened to derail her dreams, but she bounced back and joined Gokulam Kerala next season.  

‘’When Bala Devi started playing in Europe, I was nursing my knee injury. That is when I (realised I too) wanted to play in Europe,’’ says Kashmina.

Life was tough in her milieu, a proper footballer's kit a distant dream when she started playing, though there is no self pity in her voice as she looks back: ‘’I had a shabby appearance and no boots. I picked up (a pair of boots) from the dustbin and started to play football. I used to cycle during winters in shorts due to lack of money. Eventually, my father earned some money and got me a second-hand jersey and shoes.’’ 

Her teammate Pisda, who idolises Spanish star Alexia Putellas, left her birthplace Raipur in search of opportunities and has charted a similar course. Kiran Pisda's first professional club experience was with Sethu FC last season.

Both Kashmina and Pisda believe that the Croatia experience will certainly help them strengthen their claims to a seat on the national team bench. 

Their team finished runners-up in the last league. ‘’The season was almost closing when we came, but I am happy to have got some game time in a couple of games," an upbeat Kiran says. "I have big dreams and eventually want to see India play in the World Cup.’’  

The festering trouble at home in Manipur, meanwhile, continues to bother Kashmina; but she knows there is a job to do, and wants to grab this opportunity with both hands. 

‘’Manipur is suffering at the moment and sport is halted there. The grassroots sporting activities are stopped due to the crimes happening there,’’ Kashmina says, sounding concerned. 

The trio meanwhile sounds grateful to Anuj Kichlu, a FIFA-enlisted football agent and a director with Spanish agency Best of You Sports for getting this contract. ‘’The trials they came through was a demanding one and it’s been all their credit. Moves such as this mean a lot for development of football in India in general, and for the women in particular,’’ he observed.