Shillong Lajong Football Club is the first footballoutfit from the Northeast to make it to the big league of Indian football — the I-League.

However, the promotion is only a part of the passionate journey that began in 1983. A bullish Lajong general secretary Larsing Ming Sawian, a young businessman closely associated with this epochal and uncertain journey, tells Umanand Jaiswal what made the team click, the road ahead and the vision of turning Lajong into a commercial brand that could change the way football is played and organised in the region and more.

The following are the excerpts:

The Telegraph: How does it feel to be in the elite company of Indian football?

A: It is a very proud moment for us to have achieved this feat in context of the Northeast. It was high time the Northeast found representation in the big league. I have always believed that the talent unearthed from this region is just the tip of an iceberg and today I feel vindicated. None of the players in our team, except our captain, had played in the I-League before, unlike other teams in the final round of the competition. Shillong Lajong FC replacing Md Sporting in the I-League is “the irony of Indian football” today. A team from the Northeast has finally qualified for the I-League the same year that a team made up of six Northeast players and three foreigners (Churchill Brothers) won the league!

What is the secret of your team’s success?

A: We recruited a talented bunch of young and disciplined footballers from across the region, gave then the best of facilities that we could provide within our means and worked very hard collectively. There was great team spirit — a never-say-die attitude that reflected in our coming back from behind in three extremely important matches (Oil India, BMFC, SESA) and a show of remarkable character in winning the crucial encounters (ONGC & Pune FC).

The team is evenly balanced and we are not dependent on any particular individual, a reason for our consistency.

We have only two foreigners in the team. Lajong’s success is a collaborative effort of players, coaches, managers, and well-wishers across the Northeast and the country. A lot of organisations and individuals have helped us in our endeavour, ranging from Aircel, different state associations and the Assam Regimental Centre, Shillong.

What are your plans for the road ahead?

A: We realise that the challenge ahead of us is monumental, as we would be competing with the more established clubs in the country. We have the talent to sustain ourselves in the I-League but we need to match that with adequate financial resources. We will start practice immediately after the Santosh Trophy and the inter-state transfers in June. We will look at recruiting more players and also bring back some of our original players who are currently representing other I-League clubs. Some established players of the Northeast plying their trade outside have expressed interest in joining us. We will try to take maximum advantage of our home games, as it will not be easy for any team to come and play in Shillong during winter and in front of a capacity crowd. If we can muster up adequate resources, I am confident we will put up a formidable show in the league.

Has your experience in managing a hotel been of any help on the football front?

Football is more complicated than 22 players running on a field chasing a ball. It is a combination of speed, endurance, agility, technique and precise planning. Add to that a conglomeration of talented individuals with varying egos and temperament. Maintaining order and spirit within the team is must for success. Managing a hotel, like any business or industry that is human resource-intensive requires one to develop good man-management skills. I guess my hotel experience has helped me on the footballing front.

How did you get involved with football? Were you a footballer yourself?

My father and president of Shillong Lajong FC, P.D.Sawian, founded the Club with a group of friends in 1983. The objective was to promote homegrown talent in the state at a time when football in the state was in its infancy. Therefore, the name Lajong Sports, Social & Cultural Club. Lajong means “our own” in the Khasi dialect. Twenty-five years later we became Shillong Lajong Football Club with an enhanced vision of promoting footballing talent within the Northeast and to represent the region in the national circuit.

I grew up watching Lajong play in the local leagues year after year and first played for the club in the first division in 1993 at the age of 15. After that I played college football in Bangalore, was the top scorer in the Bangalore University championships and represented Bangalore University. When I came back to Shillong, I played a season in 2001 and was the top scorer in the Shillong league. That year I represented Shillong XI.

I, however, subsequently realised that it was more important for me to concentrate on business rather than play football so that I could serve the club better. I have always been passionate about football and have been fortunate to witness three World Cups (1990, 2002, 2006).

How do you plan to raise funding for the team?

We hope to raise sponsorship from corporate houses and would be hoping for government assistance. Besides that we intend to set up fan clubs across the region and build on our “brand”. Merchandise sales is also a potential source of additional revenue. A club website is on the anvil and we recently opened a Shillong Lajong Football Club home page on Facebook as a first step towards developing a registered fanbase.

Our Facebook page has seen a steady flow of fans from across the region registering every day and that is very encouraging, considering the nascent and exclusive nature of this virtual platform.

It is but inevitable that for football to grow in India, the Northeast will have to contribute in a big way.

Is Shillong ready to host the I-League?

Shillong has the necessary infrastructure to accommodate visiting teams. However, the pitches are not in good condition and this is our main worry. On the brighter side, we do have a full-fledged stadium that would otherwise take years to build. The pitch on the other hand can be repaired within time (October) if swiftly acted upon. Hosting I-League games will generate a minimum of 1,000 additional room nights of business for the hotel industry. In the long run, football can help enhance Shillong’s image as a tourism and investment destination.