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Soccer’s ‘playmaker’
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Barely 22, Mayanti Langer has carved out a niche for herself as an able football anchor in a nation known for its cricket mania. VIJAY LOKAPALLY
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PHOTO: SANDEEP SAXENA
BEAUTY WITH BRAINS Mayanti Langer, the Zee Sports presenter has a dedicated fan following.
A bunch of young football enthusiasts at the Ambedkar Stadium pleaded with the policeman manning the media enclosure to allow them access for a brief while. They just needed to take some pictures. “The players are on the ground,” the cop
admonished them. “Not the players, we want to meet Mayanti. We will leave in a minute,” the youngsters requested, but the cop did not relent.
The young group returned at the end of the match to grab an audience with Mayanti Langer, the Zee Sports presenter with a dedicated fan following.
At 22, Mayanti has indeed achieved a niche in the world of Indian football. Having played the game as a student in United States, her love for football was not pretentious. In a cricket-mad nation, she was quick to grab the offer to be a football anchor.
“I had played a year or so of (women’s) league football in Delhi and never thought anything would come out of it,” she confessed. Mayanti was 12 when the last edition of Nehru Cup was held. Ten years on, she was an important member of the official broadcaster.
Big challenge
When Zee Sports launched a hunt for an anchor, Mayanti found herself saddled with an enormous responsibility and challenge. “I knew nothing about Indian football,” she was honest. Unlike many sports anchors in the country, Mayanti enjoyed a distinct advantage. She had played the game and was willing to learn the nuances and the history.
“I was ignorant to begin with but a lot of research went into my preparation,” Mayanti admitted and in her second season now, she is most comfortable, sitting in the company of experts and doing her best to take the game to the masses.
She has picked the lessons fast by interacting with the players. “Bhaichung (Bhutia) and (Sunil) Chhetri are good friends. They have guided me on Indian football,” said Mayanti, who follows the game studiously. “I had always been interested in the international leagues. I was a football fan and that helped me in understanding Indian football better. I love the game and enjoy my work. It is exciting to know that I am paid to watch football.” Often she is the only lady at a football stadium. Mayanti makes a good anchor. She is natural and realistic. She doesn’t pick sides and has no favourite players. “You have to be true to yourself. In any case, the score line reflects the game’s character. As a presenter, you can’t cheat your viewers. I would never do it,” she asserts. Mayanti draws strength from her research – reading and interacting with football experts. She tries to interact with the players to acquire as much information as possible. She knows the significance of promoting sports culture by respecting the sports stars. “My generation has missed out on the golden age of Indian football. I would love to see some of it return.” The best compliment for Mayanti came from former football great Chuni Goswami. “Young lady, I like what you are doing for Indian football.” Those words keep her going during nervous moments before she plunges into those analyticaldiscussions from the studio. So, how was it being mobbed by young fans? “I was brought up to accept things with humility. I accept this adulation as part of the job. It is a nice feeling no doubt to know that your work is being recognised. It is flattering and encouraging but I know I have a long way to go.”
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Friday Review
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
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