Brazil might have crashed out of the World Cup on Friday night, but seated in Delhi, the country’s envoy to India was certain of having had unflinching support from one Indian city, Kolkata, and most so, in one alley up its north, which was plunged in gloom like him.
Ambassador Andre Aranha Correa do Lago had visited Kolkata last week and landed in Fakir Chakraborty Lane directly from the airport with honorary consul, Pradeep Khemka.
Speaking to The Telegraph, he recalled having heard in Delhi about the real land of football in India being Bengal. “I wanted to feel that love for football and Brazil in Kolkata and do something to stress how Brazil recognizes Kolkata as the capital of football in India. So we organised a screening of a match at the Indian Museum,” the ambassador said.
He could feel “a strong Brazilian presence” right from his arrival, spotting flags in neighbourhoods as also motorcycles and autorickshaws sporting green and yellow.
He also wanted to visit a corner of Brazil in Kolkata. “We took him to this lane near Beadon Street done up in Brazilian colours. His schedule was for 15 minutes but he spent an hour,” said Khemka.
The alley has walls painted in colours of predominantly Brazil, along with other World Cup teams. A giant collage of all the Cupwinning teams since 1930 hangs at the entrance while cutouts of Neymar and his mates stand inside. “Our seniors started decorating the alley since the 1990 World Cup but we took it to the next level in 2018, with a Brazil theme. Who knew their ambassador would visit us? He was so nice and signed the jerseys of five boys who welcomed him,” said Animesh Basak, a member of Uttar Kolkata Dishari Club, which is housed in the alley.
The ambassador was welcomed with tea and sweets. “It was very touching to see kids dressed in Brazil colours. There is a little club where they get together to watch the game. They even made me play a little with the ball but my talents are limited. The experience was way above my strongest expectation. The beautiful thing here is the support is divided between Brazil and Argentina, two developing countries which have been champions in football, as opposed to rich countries like Germany or Italy,” he said.
The trip has also convinced the ambassador that Brazil’s strongest soft power is football. “So whatever awareness effort we undertake in India, we have to start in Kolkata where there is already a positive feeling about the country,” he said.