From ace striker to goalkeeper, Nandini eyes place in national team

Standing a little over 5’10” tall, local footballer Nandini has once again gained limelight. The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has picked her in the 38-member (Under-20 years) Indian women’s probable squad. The training camp will start on December 10 at the Sports School, Bengaluru.

The 18-year-old, who until 2022 was playing as a striker, has now turned into a goalkeeper taking advantage of her height, just as her icon India’s famous goalie Gupreet Singh Sandhu, who is almost 6’5” tall.

18-yr-old comes from Humble background

The ace striker-turned-goalkeeper comes from a humble background. Her father Vijay Kamar is a Class IV contractual employee with the Punjab Government and mother works at the helpdesk of a famous shopping mall. She is the first female player from Chandigarh to debut for a professional Indian football club in a state league (2002). She played for Bengaluru Football Club and went on to play \/the KSFA Women’s ‘A’ Division League where she ended up being the top scorer of the tournament. After her first feat (playing club football), she promised her parents that she would play for the senior national team.

“It’s a major moment in my career, as only four goalies have been selected from across India for this camp. The shifting (from striker to goalie) was never on my mind, until my coach Bhupinder Singh Pinka took the challenge. Even Gurpreet Sandhu had during a visit to the city suggested that I try goalkeeping. He is my icon, and a suggestion coming straightway from him was enough to motivate me to go for it,” said an elated Nandini, who is now registered with Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 22, club where she completed her schooling last year. Pinka is among the coaches who pushed Gurpreet (Sandhu) to play football when he was in Chandigarh before he made a mark at the national level.

“I am looking forward to the upcoming camp, as this could be my ticket to make it to the Indian senior team,” said Nandini.

Earlier this year, Nandini was included in the probable squad for the two friendly matches against Uzbekistan in Tashkent. Head coach Langam Chaoba Devi had announced a probable list of 30 players. She was also named in the 21-member Indian U-17 probable squad. She was the only girl from the region comprising the states of Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, Jammu & Kashmir, and Punjab.

“She is still young, and such an exposure will help her mature. This will be the third time when she will be under the supervision of Indian football support staff, who keep a good eye on her talent. It will be for the first time she will be on the field as a goalkeeper and even better than her previous performance. I wish she makes it to the team and further to the senior squad,” added Pinka, who is working with the Education Department and coaches female footballers at the GMSSS, Sector 22.