Sumati Kumari - The football wonder who conquered starvation, coronavirus for her Under-17 World Cup dream

Sumati Kumari, hailing from Gumla in Jharkhand, was isolated in the coronavirus lockdown and she faced starvation. But, through sheer will, she overcame all that and has kept her Under-17 World Cup dream alive.

Sumati Kumari scored two goals in U15 SAFF tournament to help India win the title. (Image credit: AIFF Media Twitter)
By Siddharth vishwanathan | Sep 29, 2021 | 5 Min Read follow icon Follow Us

Gumla is a district that is 94 kms away from Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand. The area is rich in bauxite and aluminum ore. It is also one of the sporting hubs in Jharkhand. But, despite all the positives, Gumla is one of the 250 most backward districts in India. It is also in the red corridor, meaning the district is Naxal-affected. Life in Gumla is not so easy. It is like any backward district in India, with hardships and tragedy on a regular basis.

It is in this village where another tragedy was taking place. The 15-year-old youngster had arrived home for a couple of days in early 2020. But, the coronavirus pandemic then struck. India was in total lockdown. Now, she could not go back to her hostel. For a full year-and-a-half, she was stuck in her village. To make matters worse, she was running out of rations. Her father did not have a job. Everything was shut. She was on the brink of starvation.

Just to reiterate, she was only 15 at that time. But, one thing fueled her desire to live through this difficult phase. It was a chance to play in the FIFA Under-17 Football World Cup which India is hosting in 2022. This is the story of Sumati Kumari and her travails in her journey so far.

For Sumati Kumari, her life has been filled with tragedy in her short football career. When she participated in the U15 SAFF Women’s Championship, news emerged that she had lost her mother. She had a choice. Go back home or participate in the tournament. She chose to participate in the tournament. Sumati scored two goals and helped India win the title.

The tragedy and success of Sumati Kumari

But, the coronavirus situation almost broke her spirit. “The last two years, when I was at home due to the coronavirus, everything was closed. Whatever ration was available, we ran out. My father also does not have a job. We were not getting money. Whatever we grew in the fields, we lived on that. I had left everything in the hostel. When I had come home for two days, the coronavirus lockdown was enforced. I was not able to practice and keep up with the diet. I had to live on a diet of rice and dal,” Sumati said in an exclusive interaction with Sportslumo.

For a 15-year-old, the earlier tragedy plus COVID-19 lockdown that had put her on the brink of starvation could have broken her spirit. But, Sumati was focused on a dream. The dream of playing the FIFA U-17 World Cup in India. But, the lockdown had caused her to be away from food items that would have given her the strength and stamina. Whatever she was getting from the PDS (Public Distribution System) was not enough.

Sumati revealed that she had to make do with whatever was available. “How to do it, how we would do it, we were not able to understand. But, I had the World Cup focus. If we did not get anything, we had to take care of ourselves. Whatever fruits and vegetables we grew at home, we had to make do with that. I had a talk with Shruti (Nambiar) ma’am our physio. She suggested a good diet of Jackfruit. I told her about the food problem. She told me to have a good diet of Jackfruit, Ragi (Millet), Saag (Spinach), and Potato. She said Ragi, in particular, was good. I managed to get my diet back on track,” Sumati said.

The logistical support in coronavirus times

The situation for Sumati was not ideal during the coronavirus times. Normally, the players selected for the national football team get some form of support from the federation and several government associations. But, in the case of Sumati, Geography proved to be her ultimate enemy. The players who had stayed behind in Ranchi got some support. But, since she was Gumla, the support took a long time. In fact, for a long time, help did not reach her as apparently the Jharkhand football federation had misplaced her address.

Sumati outlines how she got help through a very complicated system during the coronavirus times. “After some days, AIFF came to know about my situation. Our coach Alex Ambrose helped us. He sent money to our account, also sent a football and stud. Rohit sir, Alex’s friend in Jamshedpur, established contact with a referee in Gumla. I got some help with that. Every Under-17 player got some help financially from the AIFF. I could maintain my diet.

The coach of the Jharkhand national team put that point across to the Hemant Soren government. In one place in Gumla, during the lockdown, he gave us the full facility of the state guest home. Diet, practice was all taken care of and we managed to recover,” Sumati said.

The dream of playing a FIFA World Cup

India put itself on the football world map when it hosted the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup. The women’s U-17 World Cup was supposed to take place in 2020 but that was postponed due to the pandemic. Sumati, who started playing only in 2016, did not know of India’s prowess in U17 football. She did not have any access to mobile or TV.

But, it was the dream of playing the U-17 World Cup that saw her overcome many obstacles. With women now outperforming the men in all departments, Sumati acknowledges the giant leap of women in modern-day India.

“Girls are surging ahead in every field as compared to the boys. Girls are not lower than boys. They can achieve success in everything. When they get married, they have to only manage the kitchen. In 2021, girls have developed to a great extent. There is support from parents and the government. Under-17 World Cup for the first time for women is a big step for not just women but India. It is a big matter of pride that the nation is hosting the World Cup. Everyone will give 100 percent,” Sumati said.

It is this dream that has seen her overcome tragedies at such a young age. The passion that Sumati has for football has put her in another league altogether. It is this passion for which she deserves the plaudits.