“Seeing My Father Being Proud Of Me Made Me The Happiest” – Khaiminthang Lhungdim

Having started his career with Neroca FC in the I-League, Khaiminthang Lhungdim was a vital part of Punjab FC’s historic I-League 2022-23 season. The Club got became the first ever club to get promoted to the ISL and finished 8^th in their first season. Lhungdim, who featured in 17 matches, kept 3 clean sheets and provided an assist in his debut ISL season.

After winning the I-League 2022-23, Lhungdim, in an interview said that he is yet to impress his mother as she wanted him to get a government job. However, having helped his team get promoted to the ISL and play in the top tier has eventually made the mother proud and happy. “She’s totally changed; after seeing me play in the ISL she has changed her mind. She is really happy and supportive now after seeing me playing at the highest level,” said Lhungdim.

On the other hand, his father has been his support system from day one; from helping him to appear for the trials at NerocaFC to proudly putting on his son’s jersey almost every day.“He is probably happier than me; as in the Northeast, everyone loves football and so he gets to brag about me among his friends as the father of an ISL playing player. Andthe day when he said that I was able to make him feel proud, that probably was when I felt the happiest,” said Lhungdimabout making his father proud and happy. 

During the off-season, when the majority of the players prefer to have a holiday to themselves with their family, Lhungdimstayed back home and prepared a small ground in his village where the children can play and train. He even installed lights on the ground, so that the children can train even after the sunset. “It is a privilege for us to be professional footballers and I wanted to make sure they have the access to me so that they can understand and learn what all they need to do to reach this stage. I want to keep helping them going forward as they made me promise them to train them again when I am home,” he said.

During his stay at home, he even did a week-long free coaching camp which was attended by more than 80 children of a neighboring locality. “I don’t have a coaching license, but I want to teach whatever I have learnt or experienced in my career so far because for the young children to learn from an ISL experienced player is a massive thing there as we have a very few Kuki players in the league currently,” he continued.

“When I was growing up, I always wanted to be around the professional footballers and learn whatever I could. So, now when I have reached this stage, I want to make sure I transfer my learnings, my knowledge to the young children of our community so that their path to becoming a professional football becomes a bit easier,” said Lhungdim who looked up to Jamshedpur FC’s forward Seiminlen Doungel during his early days in football. 

Punjab FC now faces the challenge Mohun Bagan SG in the quarter-final of the 133^rd IndianOil Durand Cup. The two faced each other thrice during the 2023-24 season and the Kolkata giant finished on top on all the three occasions. “Personally, I don’t feel any pressure with the historical results; instead, it makes me more motivated to do better in the quarter-final against such a big club. We want to give our best and reach the semi-final for the first time in the club’s history,” concluded Lhungdim speaking about the upcoming quarter final clash of Punjab FC.