Interview: India's women's footballer Jyoti Ann Burrett - Enormous talent in the villages

Jyoti Ann Burrett

Young Jyoti Ann Burrett hails from Dehra Dun. She was first a freestyler, and then got interested in team football and is now part of the Indian national women’s team, leaving aside a plush corporate job to pursue her dream of playing football. I caught-up with her to hear more about her inspirational story…

Tell the readers a little about yourself?

I’ve been a sporty person for as long as I can remember. During my time at Welham Girls’ School, I was a keen athlete and hockey player. I went on to represent my school and state in both sports. To keep fit, I played a lot of squash and eventually represented my state in the national squash tournament as well. Football, I took to quite late.

It all started after watching a freestyle advert in the summer holidays of my last year in school. It intrigued me, so I picked up a tennis ball and tried to juggle it a couple of times without letting it drop. I was terrible to start with, but that pushed me to try harder and spend more time on it and as I did I got better.

From there, I moved on to a proper size-five football. My father and brother encouraged my new found craze and we would often play keep-up in our garden in the evenings. By the time I shifted to Delhi and began college at St. Stephens, I was a decent juggler, so when some of the boys in the Stephens football team saw me with the ball, they involved me in their football training.

Playing the game came quite easily to me. Strategically, I found it similar to hockey and thus, I had good game-sense. Eventually, I heard about Delhi and Delhi University having a women’s football team and went for open trials. I went on to play for both teams. I got my first national team camp call up in my third year but was unable to attend it as it was clashing with my final exams.

The following year, I was unable to attend again as I was away in the UK doing my masters in sport and health science from the University of Exeter. On returning, the door to the national team opened itself up for me again, and this time I was able to go. I never thought I would actually make it to the final squad of 23 though.

You started off as a freestyler and then became an 11-a-side, a team player. What is the difference for you?

I think freestyle football is very much a solo activity. It takes hours and hours of practice alone with a ball to master. It can get monotonous at times. Football, on the other hand, is a team game that throws up ever-changing situations at you. There are a lot more things to think of. So for me, freestyle is a part of football. It helped me with my game, but only to a certain extent.

How did the experience in England change your perspective on football?

My experience in England was enjoyable and very informative. It taught me the value of on-going long term opportunities for personal bonding and professional development for a team to evolve as a cohesive unit. Everything is done professionally and that adds value to the sport. Football is a passion for not only the players, but for the organisers, management, coaches and spectators as well.

India’s women’s national football team

You got into the Indian women’s national team. How were you accepted amongst your teammates?

At first, any team is sceptical of new players. It’s natural. It takes time to build a rapport on and off the field. A lot of the other players have been playing together in their states or for the national team, but as this was my first national team experience and I was the only player from Delhi, I had to get to know everybody from scratch. It took a while, but eventually, I felt very much part of the team and made a few close friends.

How was the experience at the AFC Women’s Championship qualifiers in Palestine?

Being my debut tournament, the experience was unforgettable. Everything was incredibly well organized and we felt very welcomed by our hosts. It was lovely to see so many other professional women footballers living their dreams. The feeling of singing the Indian National Anthem before every match was extremely moving and instilled everyone with an added zest to perform.

In recent weeks you have been in the news for picking a career in football over a plush office job. Are you happy with this decision or do you regret it?

I never regret my decision to play football. It’s what makes me happy and what I feel I’m best at. A passion can never be sidelined. I am fortunate to have a sports-loving family. Nothing could make them prouder than seeing me be a professional sportswoman.

What is your personal ambition in football?

I would love to play for the national team for as long as I can. In the short term, I am looking forward to the World Cup qualifiers. I still feel I haven’t peaked, performance wise yet, and would like to work on my weak points so that I can develop into a better player.

How do you see women’s football in India?

It is difficult to predict the progression of women’s football in India, but even over the last six years I have seen changes in the right direction. The very fact that I am being given this opportunity to share my experiences is an indicator that it is becoming more visible to the public. With more such media coverage, professional inputs and financial backing, the situation can improve vastly.

What do you think needs to be done to support and promote women’s football in India?

I think Indian football needs work to be done at the grass root level. I think it’s the smaller villages and towns that have the most potential and can produce exceptional players.

For example, the recent phenomenal success of the Jharkhand tribal girls’ team in Spain is testimony to the fact that talent is present but just needs to be given an opportunity to shine. Financial support and more playing opportunities are key for Indian women’s football is to grow.