Kerala Blasters prospect Ritwik Das gearing up to play the ISL

For the people of Kolkata, football is more than just a sport. Thousands of people look up to the game as a means of livelihood and ply their trade in the local leagues across the state and the first three tiers of the Calcutta Football League. Unsurprisingly, Ritwik Kumar Das was no different. But, now, he is on the verge of penning a deal with teams in the ISL.

"It is no secret that every Indian player wants to play in ISL. Talks are going on. Let's see what happens in the end," Ritwik said after reports emerged that he is set to sign with Kerala Blasters for the upcoming season.

Ritwik gave his first trial at a Mohun Bagan non-residential academy when he was in ninth grade. Under the aegis of notable names in Kolkata football such as Shankarlal Chakraborty, Arghya Majumdar, Nirmalya Halder and Abhay Kumar, he learnt the nuances of football.

The Asansol-native began his professional journey with Calcutta Customs in the CFL First Division before switching to Kalighat MS in 2016 where they played in the Calcutta Premier Division Group B under the stewardship of Arun Ghosh.

"Arun Ghosh took care of me like his own son. When I used to stay in Kolkata, Chinmay Sarkar helped me a lot while we practiced in local camps at Vivekananda Samiti and Lakshminarayan Samiti. We used to call him Chhotka Da. He supported me right from my days at Mohun Bagan and is constantly at touch with me," Ritwik elaborated.

Ritwik's time of reckoning arrived when Real Kashmir FC decided to hold trials at a Sports Authority of India ground in West Bengal in 2017. After impressing the Snow Leopards' management, he signed a contract and represented them in the I-League Second Division.

Ritwik Das (R) has been a vital cog in the Real Kashmir wheel

Real Kashmir FC won the Second Division and became the first team from the state of Jammu and Kashmir to feature in the I-League. During his spell at the north Indian club, Ritwik made 39 appearances, across all competitions. Additionally, the midfielder seemed to relish the adulation the club received from its fans, throughout the year.

"The people of Kashmir are very enthusiastic about football. I never thought they would fill the stands in each of our game. Even during snowfall and heavy rains, people came out to watch the match by holding umbrellas. They supported the team wholeheartedly. Yes, they might not be able to reach the same level of craziness as in Kolkata. But, it is still commendable," he commented.

A significant trait of Ritwik's style is his versatility. The 23-year-old is comfortable playing across all positions in midfield. Consequently, his attributes allowed him to optimise himself with coach David Robertson's long ball tactics.

"Players need to adjust themselves as per the coach's understanding of the game. Yes, we liked to play long ball. It was the coach's tactics and we got some good results from that. Personally, I like to play as an attacking midfielder or as a second striker. But, if the coach wants me to play anywhere else across the midfield, I don't have any problem," he stated.

The glue that held Real Kashmir FC together was their ineffable bonding. Hence, despite being the lone Bengali player in the team, he never felt homesick.

"In the first two years, there were five or six Bengali players. But, this season, I was the only one. Everyone used to be together with everyone. There was no difference between an Indian player and a foreigner in the dressing room. Even when there were off the field problems, we stuck together," Ritwik quipped.

The untimely demise of his father

Real Kashmir FC players hold Ritwik Das' jersey while posing for the team photograph

Everything was going smoothly for Ritwik when he learnt about the tragic demise of his father. The Real Kashmir FC team held his jersey during the team photograph as an act of solidarity when the club faced off against NEROCA.

"My father suffered from pemphigus vulgaris. It is a rare skin disease. He was admitted to the hospital but it became severe and the doctors were unable to save him. I was in awe with how Real Kashmir FC reacted to that situation. The club supported me during my tough times. They used to call me every time and ask about my whereabouts. I think it happens very rarely in Indian football," the midfielder stated.

Kerala Blasters has one of the most vociferous fan bases across ISL, with their chants and banners becoming synonymous to Indian football. Thus, for a prospect aka Ritwik, the match seems one made in heaven, considering the crests he enjoyed at Real Kashmir FC.