Calcutta: Home away from home? Might be. As a beaming Denson Devadas sipped away to its last drop his new-found stardom — thirstily, much like a blotting paper — at the Salt Lake Stadium, that is precisely the thought that came to mind.

And why not? The 28-year-old midfielder from Kerala sparkled on Sunday and his dazzle was brilliant enough to help Bengal lift the Santosh Trophy title with a 2-1 victory over Punjab.

The hosts ended an 11-year wait to annex their 30th title, and that underlines his heavyweight performance. That he scored both goals for the winners is only half the story; 90 minutes of enterprising football from the Chirag United player was what sealed the deal for Bengal.

“It’s no doubt a great feeling… With so much love and support I couldn’t be happier. The excitement surrounding the team and the phone calls echoing the expectations made me forget that I was not playing for my home state — Kerala… It never seemed that I was playing for Bengal,” said Devadas amidst the cacophony of joyous drums.

Incidentally, this was not Denson’s first Santosh Trophy.

He represented Kerala in the 2007 edition before turning out for Bengal last year. Remind him of Bengal’s failure to clear the last hurdle, last year, losing to Goa on penalties, and he says: “It was very disappointing last year… Going so far yet failing in the final. I really felt bad… With this win, however, I think I have been able to restore Bengal’s lost pride. It is almost like I’m myself the pride of Bengal.”

His second goal, a scorcher from long range, fetched him absolute satisfaction. “The second goal was really satisfying. Being under pressure, such a goal clinches your day,” he said.

Asked if Shabbir Ali had anything particular to say during the half-time, when the teams were locked at 1-1, Denson said that the coach had stressed on keeping patience.

“He just asked us to be patient. He said that getting a goal was only a matter of time,” Denson said. And whom would he dedicate his success to? “Parents and God” was the prompt answer. “It is all for my parents — Devadas Anthony and Daisy Devadas — and God.”

Shabbir was equally elated. “Hats off to the boys… With injuries threatening our progress every now and then, it was a commendable show. Denson was just fabulous on the day. His goals were a class apart,” Shabbir said.

“It’s a special win for me as well, there’s no doubt about it. I have always insisted on the importance of the Santosh Trophy and it’s just great to win the title with Bengal,” he added.

There were rewards galore for the Shabbir’s wards. Apart from the winner’s purse, Bengal minister Kanti Ganguly announced Rs 5 lakh reward for the team. Chirag (sponsors of Chirag United) too promised a sum of Rs 5 lakh for the winners.

Utpal Ganguli, the secretary of the Indian Football Association (IFA), informed they were planning something big for the players and would come up with an announcement in a couple of days.

Coming back to the match, what adds to Denson’s good show on the field is his humility. Asked if he remembered how he had been suspended by the Indian Football Association (IFA) a few months back (the same officials were going gaga over him on Sunday!), Denson replied with a gentle smile on his tired face. “All those things don’t matter to me,” he said.

Point noted.