It’s not just sectors that sport suits and ties, many local sports teams are attracting the Indian diaspora, too
Izumi Arata is only half-Indian but that was just enough for the recruiters of Indian football. Last year, the 25-year-old moved from his native Japan to play for East Bengal Football Club. Now, he’s moved onto Mahindra United in Mumbai, which is pinning its hopes on the striker and midfielder to help the team retain its national championship title.
Turns out that the return of the Indian diaspora is not limited to the sectors that sport suits and ties—many sports teams want to cash in on the trend as well.
Arata, born to an Indian father and a Japanese mother, is the face of an initiative by a group of Indians in Germany and the UK to link talented players with Indian roots to clubs here.
The programme is seen as one way for India to up its game, while giving players, who might see little field beyond the bench in Europe, a taste of the pros.
At least two soccer-related websites—Indianfootball.com and Soccernetindia.com—ha-ve posted invitations to PIOs, or people of Indian origin, to play in India, joining the ever-swelling ranks of foreign players, such as Brazil’s Jose Ramirez Barreto, already turning out for local clubs.
Last year, the sport’s apex administrative body in the country, the All India Football Federation (AIFF), allowed local clubs to induct one PIO player each, in addition to the three foreign nationals already allowed.
As in other companies that have allowed returnees to leapfrog into corner offices, those who’ve ventured to Indian shores—besides Arata, fellow Indian-origin footballer Nichlas Nath of Sweden played for a Goa club last year—tend to be second-tier players. Before coming to India, Arata played professionally for Albirex Niigata in Singapore’s mediocre S-League, and Mitsubishi Motors Mizushima club in the second division of Japan’s J-League.
Football’s repatriates, if you will, are a new development, as generally, successful athletes tend to flee India for better support, sponsorships and salaries.
For years, Indian cricketers have played in the English county leagues, both for experience and money. Of late, hockey stars have begun heading to Europe to play in the Dutch, German and Spanish leagues. Basketball players, too, head for countries such as Germany and Australia, including women hoopsters: Geethu Anna Jose plays in the Big V pro league down under. And a few years ago, footballer Baichung Bhutia signed up with second division English club Bury FC for a season, as well as Malaysia’s Perak football club.
“I came here as India is one of my countries,” says Arata, whose Indian name is Neelkant. But he also admits despite the Indian rupee being weaker than the Singapore dollar (one Singapore dollar is worth a little over Rs26), he’s being paid “much more” by Mahindra than Albirex.
NewsCourtsey:LiveMint.com
Izumi Arata is only half-Indian but that was just enough for the recruiters of Indian football. Last year, the 25-year-old moved from his native Japan to play for East Bengal Football Club. Now, he’s moved onto Mahindra United in Mumbai, which is pinning its hopes on the striker and midfielder to help the team retain its national championship title.
Turns out that the return of the Indian diaspora is not limited to the sectors that sport suits and ties—many sports teams want to cash in on the trend as well.
Arata, born to an Indian father and a Japanese mother, is the face of an initiative by a group of Indians in Germany and the UK to link talented players with Indian roots to clubs here.
The programme is seen as one way for India to up its game, while giving players, who might see little field beyond the bench in Europe, a taste of the pros.
At least two soccer-related websites—Indianfootball.com and Soccernetindia.com—ha-ve posted invitations to PIOs, or people of Indian origin, to play in India, joining the ever-swelling ranks of foreign players, such as Brazil’s Jose Ramirez Barreto, already turning out for local clubs.
Last year, the sport’s apex administrative body in the country, the All India Football Federation (AIFF), allowed local clubs to induct one PIO player each, in addition to the three foreign nationals already allowed.
As in other companies that have allowed returnees to leapfrog into corner offices, those who’ve ventured to Indian shores—besides Arata, fellow Indian-origin footballer Nichlas Nath of Sweden played for a Goa club last year—tend to be second-tier players. Before coming to India, Arata played professionally for Albirex Niigata in Singapore’s mediocre S-League, and Mitsubishi Motors Mizushima club in the second division of Japan’s J-League.
Football’s repatriates, if you will, are a new development, as generally, successful athletes tend to flee India for better support, sponsorships and salaries.
For years, Indian cricketers have played in the English county leagues, both for experience and money. Of late, hockey stars have begun heading to Europe to play in the Dutch, German and Spanish leagues. Basketball players, too, head for countries such as Germany and Australia, including women hoopsters: Geethu Anna Jose plays in the Big V pro league down under. And a few years ago, footballer Baichung Bhutia signed up with second division English club Bury FC for a season, as well as Malaysia’s Perak football club.
“I came here as India is one of my countries,” says Arata, whose Indian name is Neelkant. But he also admits despite the Indian rupee being weaker than the Singapore dollar (one Singapore dollar is worth a little over Rs26), he’s being paid “much more” by Mahindra than Albirex.
NewsCourtsey:LiveMint.com
