Football isn’t just a game—it’s an emotion, a legacy passed down through generations. For Soumen Chaki, Mohun Bagan Super Giant is more than just a club; it is an inseparable part of his family’s legacy.

Last month, he lost his father, Late Samar Kumar Chaki, a man who lived and breathed Mohun Bagan Super Giant till his very last days. But their connection with the club was more than just fandom—it was a story of identity and belief.

Bangals who chose Mohun Bagan Super Giant

The love for the Green and Maroons was not inherent in the Chaki family. Chaki’s father and his uncles, despite being from a Bangal family (families that came from East Bengal, now Bangladesh, during the Partition), chose Mohun Bagan—an uncommon allegiance given the tradition of the East Bengal FC-Mohun Bagan Super Giant rivalry. That love for the Mariners naturally passed down to Soumen.

“I have been going to the stadium since 2006 and have been regular to the ground since then,” says Soumen Chaki.

“Our journey as Mariners started from our home. We are a pure Bangal family. My father and two of his brothers came to India from Bangladesh after 1971. However, unlike the typical trend, our family did not become East Bengal FC supporters; instead, we turned into Mohun Bagan Super Giant fans,” he added.

Football was not just a form of entertainment for Samar Kumar Chaki - it was a way of life. Though he couldn’t always make it to the stadium, his devotion to the club never wavered. Even in his final moments, his love for the game and his beloved team remained as strong as ever.

“Due to his work, my father couldn’t go to the stadium regularly. However, after my mother passed away, he never missed a single match. For the last ten years of his life, he watched every game without fail.”

“My father was a passionate follower of the ISL. Not only did he watch Mohun Bagan Super Giant matches, but he also followed every game, analyzing every minute detail. The video that went viral shows him watching the match while lying on his hospital bed—he had only asked to watch the game, and sadly, he passed away just two days later,” said Chaki.

The T-shirt that now carries a soul

The 2022-23 ISL Cup final was unforgettable for the Chaki family—for more reasons than one. The Mariners lifted the ISL Cup, and for Chaki’s father, there was something even more personal.

Like many who believe in certain superstitions, his father found his own lucky charm—a T-shirt. Now, that very T-shirt has become a symbol of remembrance. Chaki carries it to every game, keeping his father’s legacy alive and his spirit forever connected to the club.

“We had gone to Puri to celebrate our fifth Marriage Anniversary. During the trip, my father bought a Jagannath Dev T-shirt. My father was wearing the same t-shirt when we lifted the ISL Cup in the 2022-23 season, and he believed it to be his lucky t-shirt,” shared Chaki.

“Later, my father tried to replicate that same matchday routine (wearing that same t-shirt) every time Mohun Bagan Super Gaint played. I have kept that T-shirt safe, and I took it to our last match. I want to take it to the next one as well. I feel that, through this T-shirt, my father will always be there with me at the stadium,” he said.

Since lifting the ISL Cup two years ago, Mohun Bagan Super Giant have continued their rise, claiming the League Shield in back-to-back seasons. But it wasn’t just about winning—it was the dominant style of play that made their triumphs even more special.

For Samar Kumar Chaki, last season’s Shield victory held even greater significance. It wasn’t just the club’s first-ever ISL Shield; it was also about the brilliance of his favourite player, which made the triumph even more personal.

Fans like Soumen’s father are the heart and soul of this club, and their stories deserve to be told. Mohun Bagan Super Giant gave him the farewell he truly deserved, and now, Soumen carries his father’s memories with him—both in the stands and in life.

“Last season’s ISL Shield-winning moment was pure joy for my father. This season started a little differently. My father’s favourite player was Dimitri Petratos. He was not in form this season, and that made my father a little sad. He also admired Jamie Maclaren, and I am grateful to Maclaren for dedicating his brace against Punjab FC to my late father.”

“I am also thankful to Subhasish (Bose) for his goal—the same goal that you all saw in the viral video. That moment will always remain special to me,” Soumen Chaki commented.

Mohun Bagan Super Giant will remain the thread that will connect Chaki to his father. He has vowed to carry his father's favourite t-shirt to every game and as long as he walks into the stadium carrying that T-shirt, he knows that his father is right there beside him—watching, cheering, and living every moment with him.

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Mohun Bagan Super Giant2024-2025