The only girl from Maharashtra selected for the national camp ahead of the 2022 U-17 Women’s World Cup in India, is on the verge of living her father’s dream
Bhumika Mane
The relationship between young Mumbai footballer Bhumika Mane, 16, and her father Bharat is a lot like that of the famous Mahavir Phogat and his Commonwealth Games gold medal-winning wrestler daughter Geeta on whom the Bollywood super hit Dangal (2016), starring Aamir Khan, was made.
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Mahavir Phogat, an aspiring wrestler, went against the wishes of his family to first cut his daughter’s hair short, then changed her diet to non-vegetarian food and eventually trained her punishingly day-in-and-day-out to help her achieve what he couldn’t.
Living father’s dream
Bharat Mane, 50, also an aspiring club-level footballer, has done the same. And now, Bhumika, the only girl from Maharashtra to be selected in the 35-member national camp in preparation for the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in India, is on the verge of living her father’s dream. The young footballer leaves today for the national camp in Jamshedpur. “When I cut Bhumika’s hair short, she was just 11.
Bhumika Mane during mid-day’s Ranis of the Rink tournament at Bandra in 2019
My wife and parents were furious. Everyone around criticised me for making her look like a boy, but I believed long hair is tough to manage for a footballer,” Bharat, who is Bhumika’s first coach, told mid-day on Thursday.
“She started playing football after watching me at club games, but I always warned her that playing the sport professionally is a tough job. Initially, getting her to wake up at 5am to train was tough. She probably hated me for it as a kid. But later, as she began tasting success, first with her school team [Canossa Convent, Mahim] and then with her club [Companeroes], she realised the importance of discipline and hard work,” added Bharat an advocate, who has even taken Bhumika to the Sessions Court with him after her training sessions.
“Her practice would end around 9am and I would have my court cases, so I would take her with me and then return home together. Many of my Killa Court magistrates would mistake her for a boy. She would sit patiently for hours without complaining. She’s a very hardworking girl,” said Bharat.
On the diet front, Bhumika enjoys her meat. “We eat chicken and fish at home, but Bhumika loves pork too and I’ve not stopped her because all meat protein is good for her diet. Pork, however, is not made at our house. I get it from some of my Goan friends in Dadar,” added Mane.
Unique footballer
Bhumika’s club coach Sydney Alexander insists she is unique. “She can kick the ball very powerfully and accurately with both feet. That’s something not many male professionals can do. What she lacks in height, she makes up for in strength and skill,” said Alexander of Companeroes.
Bharat Mane
Bhumika’s school sports teacher, Leela Britto is hoping to see her ward in India colours soon. “She has made our school proud in inter-school football. Now, I pray she makes our country proud in international football,” she said.
Bharat’s friends often call him Mahavir Phogat. “That’s because of the way I have worked on Bhumika, but I think he was a lot more strict. I’m very lenient. I’ve told her to just go and play her natural game [in Jamshedpur] without taking any pressure,” Bharat said, quickly shifting to a stern tone: “But she cannot afford to relax.”
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