From being a national-level throwball player to working behind the scenes with East Bengal Women, Dr Srushti Patil opens up about her journey, the challenges of women’s football and the team’s pursuit of AFC success.

Kolkata: For the fans watching East Bengal Women on the pitch, the story is usually about goals, results, trophies and the players who make those moments happen. But behind every performance is a group of people working away from the spotlight to ensure the players are ready when matchday arrives.

Among them is Dr Srushti Patil, the sports physiotherapist working with East Bengal FC’s women’s team.

Her own journey into football, however, did not begin with football.

Srushti grew up in Thane, Maharashtra, and was herself a sportsperson. A national-level throwball player, she also played cricket and athletics. But circumstances forced her to step away from sport after school, leaving her with a feeling that something was missing.

“I realized I can’t stay away from sports, ”Srusthi recalled during an interview with Soccer Monk. “I need to do something which will keep me close to sports.”

That eventually led her towards physiotherapy and, ultimately, into sports physiotherapy.

Finding her way back to sport

When Srushti began her physiotherapy career, she already knew that she wanted to work in sports. Initially, cricket seemed like the natural direction given her own experience with the game.

Football entered the picture through Dr Kunal Bagal, whom Srusthi describes as an important guide in her professional journey.

Working with Bagal gave her the opportunity to understand football more closely and work with athletes. The physical demands and challenges of the sport gradually drew her towards the game.

For Srushti, football also represented an opportunity to contribute to a sport that she felt still had enormous room for growth in India.

“If I am a small part of it to make this game at a good level or to grow somewhere, then it would be great,” she said.

Her journey subsequently took her through work involving athletes and football, including experiences with JSW Sports, the Mumbai Football Association and national teams. She later entered the women’s game with Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium-based Indra Kashi before eventually joining East Bengal Women.

“For me, it’s more than a job”

Srushti’s background as a sportsperson has shaped the way she approaches her role as a physiotherapist.

She believes that having experienced sport herself allows her to understand what players go through beyond the physical aspects of the game.

“For me, it’s more than a job,” she said.

That perspective has also influenced how she views the relationship between a physiotherapist and a player. It is not simply about treating an injury or preparing an athlete physically. Understanding what a player is feeling, both physically and mentally, becomes part of the process.

At East Bengal, she found an environment where that approach could flourish.

The culture behind East Bengal Women’s success

East Bengal Women have enjoyed a highly successful period, and Srushti believes the team’s togetherness has been one of the biggest reasons behind its performances.

According to her, players and staff constantly push one another, regardless of the challenges they face.

“There is a lot of understanding, a lot of positive attitude,” she said.

Even when individuals are dealing with personal problems or difficult moments, Srushti says the environment within the team encourages people to support one another rather than allowing negativity to take over.

“They will make you feel like a family and everyone will help each other to grow,” she said.

For someone working within the support staff, that environment has also played an important role in her own development.

From a difficult season to the SAFF triumph

One of the most significant memories of Srushti’s time with East Bengal Women came during their SAFF campaign.

She describes the period as an important point in her personal development as a physiotherapist.

Looking back at herself when she first joined East Bengal and comparing that person with who she is now, Srushti says there has been a significant change, particularly in terms of confidence.

The previous season had also presented considerable challenges. At one point, the team had to deal with the departure of a member of the support staff, leaving Srushti with increased responsibilities.

As the sole physiotherapist, managing the workload involving a large group of players became a major challenge.

“I never thought I would, but my team and everyone pushed me so much,” she said.

The team’s disappointment after narrowly missing out on progressing from their AFC campaign in China became another source of motivation.

She recalls how the heartbreaking defeat brought the group together with a renewed determination to return to the AFC stage.

That motivation eventually contributed to another successful domestic campaign, with East Bengal Women securing another IWL title and returning to the AFC Women’s Champions League stage.

For her, the journey from that disappointment to the eventual success is what made the SAFF experience particularly memorable.

The work fans don’t see

The players are visible on matchday. The work of the medical and performance staff is largely invisible.

Srushti says managing a women’s football team requires patience, communication and an understanding of what individual players are going through.

The physiotherapy team, strength and conditioning staff, recovery team and coaching staff all work towards one objective: ensuring that players can give their best when they step onto the pitch.

“Everyone will be working behind it for that,” Srushti explained.

That work begins well before kick-off and continues through training, recovery, travel and preparation.

Just as importantly, Srushti says the players trust the support staff enough to share their concerns and thoughts.

“We know what is going on in whose mind,” she said.

That relationship is particularly important in elite sport, where physical readiness and mental readiness often go hand in hand.

Learning from East Bengal’s players

Working with East Bengal Women has also given Srushti an opportunity to understand the individual journeys of the players.

She mentioned senior players such as Ashalata Devi, Soumya and Panthoi Chanu, while also highlighting the younger generation coming through the team, including Sulanjana, Sathi, Shrabani and Thandamani.

For her, the stories of these players demonstrate the depth of talent in Indian women’s football.

She also believes that the senior players’ mindset and experience have helped her grow personally, while the younger players provide a reminder of the ambition and hunger required to reach the highest level.

“You have to go against your loved ones”

Srushti’s own journey was not without obstacles.

One of the biggest challenges she faced was her family background. Growing up in what she described as an orthodox family, pursuing sport was not always easy.

There were disagreements and misunderstandings with her parents, particularly around her decision to pursue her chosen path.

Her message from that experience is direct: sometimes, young people have to stand by what they believe is right for them even when their family does not initially understand the decision.

“Once we achieve that, yes, they start believing it,” she said.

Her own experience has also helped her understand the obstacles faced by many of the women footballers she works with.

The bigger challenge for women’s football

Srushti believes opportunities are emerging in women’s football in India, but she describes the situation as “50-50”.

The availability of opportunities, she says, depends significantly on the support provided by clubs and the people running those teams.

She also believes visibility remains a major issue.

“Unless and until we achieve anything, the people won’t support us or they won’t support us,” she said.

For Srusthi, the objective is therefore bigger than simply winning matches.

“We all are here to make women’s football grow,” she said.

She believes East Bengal provides an important platform because of the size and passion of its fan base.

Better facilities and greater financial support

Srushti believes two major areas need attention if women’s football is to continue developing: financial support and mindset.

She argues that women’s teams deserve facilities comparable to those available to men’s teams.

At East Bengal, she feels there have already been positive changes, but she believes the same level of infrastructure and support is not available everywhere.

“They deserve to get the facilities as men’s,” she said.

Her point comes from personal experience. Srusthi has heard the stories of players who have overcome family, social and financial barriers to reach the professional level.

For many of them, simply reaching the highest levels of the game has required overcoming obstacles that go far beyond football.

From cricket to football

When Srushti first entered sports physiotherapy, cricket was the sport she imagined herself working around.

Today, that has changed.

“I love football now,” she said.

Asked to choose between cricket and football today, Srushti says she would choose football.

That transformation perhaps best captures how deeply the sport has become part of her professional identity.

“Whatever your heart says, go for it”

Srushti’s advice to young girls considering a career in sport is simple.

Go for it.

She believes sport can change a person’s life, build character and open doors that might otherwise never appear.

Her message is not restricted to becoming a professional player. The football ecosystem requires physiotherapists, strength and conditioning coaches, analysts, doctors, recovery specialists and numerous other professionals.

For young women who are interested in sport but do not necessarily want to play, Srusthi’s own career offers an example of another route into the game.

A call to the fans

There was one final message Srusthi wanted to share.

East Bengal Women are preparing for another major AFC campaign, and this time the team expects to have the opportunity to play in front of their home supporters in Kolkata.

For the players and staff, the support of the fans could be an important part of the experience.

“We really expect people to support us in quantities like how they would have supported the men’s team,” Srushti said.

For a team that has already built a strong record in Indian women’s football, the next challenge is to take that ambition onto the continental stage.

And for Dr Srushti Srusthi, the journey that began with a young sportsperson being forced away from the field has come full circle.

She may no longer be the one taking the pitch herself.

But every time an East Bengal Women player walks onto it, Srusthi and the rest of the support staff will be there — working quietly behind the scenes to make sure the player is ready for the moment.

The spotlight belongs to the players. But the journey belongs to the whole team.