A note on the issue: Sunil Chhetri and a world beyond the football pitch

We’ve been trying to get Sunil Chhetri in the pages of Lounge for some months now, but his playing schedule made it near impossible for him to make the time for an in-depth interview. He retired from international football two weeks ago, on 6 June, and got in touch with us to do the interview the week after. His is a remarkable, record-breaking career—19 years in a sport that isn’t kind to most players performing at the highest level. I’d known that Chhetri was a star on and off the field, but it came as a surprise to read that he’s scored 94 goals in 151 caps at the international level—that’s more than Diego Maradona and Pele; among currently active players, only Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have more.

Records aside, Chhetri’s story is one of learning lessons the hard way—he speaks with incredible frankness to Lounge about the mess he made of a stint in the US in 2010, the difficulties he faced in Portugal, his approach to captaining the Indian side, and where Indian football can go. As our writer observes, “Chhetri’s contribution to Indian football goes beyond mere statistics and awards. He has made a nation believe.” He’s done this not just with his consistency on the pitch but also his tireless efforts to raise the profile of the game in India, and leading by example. He uses his social media following to draw fans to stadiums as well as speak about other issues, including the wrestlers’ protests and the handling of the covid-19 pandemic. This is a story of a person who represents his sport to the wider world—while showing that wider world a few home truths.

Other stories you mustn’t miss this weekend include an interview with tennis player N. Sriram Balaji, who will be making his Olympic debut next month; an essay on the 1934 expedition that explored the hidden sanctuary of India’s second highest mountain, Nanda Devi; Raja Sen’s column on the cruel irony of the show Baby Reindeer becoming the cause of trolling; a story on Delhi’s gourmet sandwich scene; and our recommendations for what to watch, buy or read.

Write to the editor at shalini.umachandran@htlive.com

@shalinimb