Bengal’s rugby team knocked powerhouse Haryana off its perch in the just-concluded national championships in Guwahati.
In a thrilling final at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium on April 28, Bengal beat Haryana, which had been winning the tournament for eight straight years.
The feat goes farbeyond a mere sporting achievement.
The Bengal squad consists mostly of players who are products of Khelo Rugby by Future Hope, a project that provides sporting and social development opportunities to marginalised communities across Bengal.
Future Hope is an NGO that runs a school for street children on Rowland Row in Ballygunge.
“Haryana is by far the strongest rugby team in India. Most players are well above six feet and weigh about 100kg. The Indian rugby team is loaded with players from Haryana. Their physical advantage gives them a massive edge over other teams,” said Sanjay Patra, the Bengal coach.
The victory felt sweeter because Bengal lost to them in the finals in 2022 and 2024. This year, Bengal were unbeaten in the tournament.
“The boys underwent rigorous strength training. The boys were bruised and battered, but they held their ground. They were fearless and excellent in tackles, bringing down players twice their size,” said Patra, who has represented India in rugby.
The Bengal team was led by Rajdeep Saha. The 23-year-old traces his roots to Murshidabad. He lost his mother when he was two and was raised in an orphanage before being spotted by Paul Walsh, a former British diplomat and the mentor-leader of Khelo Rugby.
“We started practising four months before the tournament. We made some tactical changes, like focusing more on ball possession. But at the end of the day, it was the teamwork that made the difference. We played as one unit,” said Saha, who can play as a scrum-half, fly-half, centre and a hooker.
Arpan Chhetri was, for many, the player of the tournament. Chhetri, who has roots in Sikkim, has been with Future Hope since he was six years old.
Akash Balmiki, a fly-half, was like the team’s command post, instrumental in launching attacks. Also from Future Hope, he hails from a colony behind the police quarters in Bhabani Bhawan, the state police headquarters.
More than 25 states competed in the two-day tournament, formally called the Senior National Rugby 7s Championship 2025.
The scoreline of the final match read 14:12. Bengal had scored 14 times in the first half, and Haryana could not open their account. But in the second half, the defending champions showed their mettle, almost drawing level.
Several players from Bengal are part of the national squad as well.
Lav Jhingan, president of the Bengal Rugby-Football Union, told this newspaper: “This victory means the world to us. It was a collective effort. What the boys lacked in strength, they more than made up as a cohesive unit.”
The winning team landed at Howrah station early on Wednesday.
“I am very proud of my boys. They defeated a seemingly unbeatable team,” said Sujata Sen, chief executive officer of Future Hope.