Born into a family of ardent East Bengal FC supporters, football was always in Prasenjit Sarkar’s blood. However, there was one thing that neither his family members nor his late grandfather could have anticipated: his growing and fervent passion for their arch-rivals, Mohun Bagan Super Giant.

At 36, Sarkar’s devotion to Indian Super League (ISL) club Mohun Bagan SG has become so profound that he is now a core member of the Mariners' Base Camp - Ultras Mohun Bagan, a group inspired by the Ultras movement in European football. This fanatical movement is renowned for its vibrant support, including chants, tifos, and an electrifying atmosphere. Sarkar’s role is pivotal — he is the Capo, the leader of chants within the group.

Same Household, Different Passion

It was Sarkar’s late maternal grandfather who had a deep affection for East Bengal FC, a passion that was passed down to the rest of the family. His grandfather was a member of the East Bengal FC club, and Sarkar fondly recalls hearing from his mother about how his grandfather would celebrate a Kolkata Derby victory by treating his friends with a meal.

At around 10 years old in 1997, Sarkar witnessed his family gathering to watch the Kolkata Derby on TV. The name Mohun Bagan struck a chord with him, and when the team scored, he began jumping and banging on utensils, much to the astonishment of his East Bengal FC-supporting family.

“You cannot choose your favourite football team; it chooses you. That’s what happened with me and Mohun Bagan SG,” says Sarkar.

Sarkar played as a goalkeeper for his school football team, idolising former players like Hemanta Dora and Sangram Mukherjee. Hailing from Shyamnagar, a suburb of Kolkata, travelling to watch the matches was challenging, and his family was initially hesitant to let him attend games. The breakthrough came in 2006 when Sarkar decided to skip a college class to attend the Kolkata Derby at Salt Lake Stadium with a childhood friend Soumen Chaki. Immersed in the atmosphere among a crowd of over 120,000 supporters, the experience captivated him, and he knew he wanted to be part of it.

College life offered more opportunities to watch his beloved team. During his Bachelor of Education course, Sarkar would frequently skip classes to attend Mohun Bagan’s games at Barasat Stadium, Kalyani Stadium, or the Mohun Bagan Ground. Despite the club’s ups and downs, his passion remained unwavering. The defining moment came in 2015 when the club won the I-League, clinching a national championship after a 13-year wait. As a die-hard Manchester United supporter, Sarkar had been inspired by the Ultras movement in European football and was eager to replicate that culture in India, a concept that was previously unheard of and met with scepticism.

Following Mohun Bagan’s 2015 I-League victory, the formation of more fan clubs was evident, but Sarkar wanted to create something distinctive. They established ‘Live Green, Bleed Maroon,’ which later became ‘Mariners' Base Camp - Ultras Mohun Bagan’, coined by another friend Tarun Basu, aiming to unify various fan clubs into a cohesive force. The term ‘Base Camp’ was chosen to represent the gathering of diverse groups under one banner, akin to mountaineers assembling at a base camp. The fan group is now affiliated with 27 other Mohun Bagan SG fan clubs.

“We aimed to bring together all our fan clubs into a powerful force that supports the team from within the ground,” explains Sarkar.

Currently, with Sarkar, there are 16 core members of the fan group. When they started, their numbers were fewer than 100, but today the group boasts around 1,800 members, swelling to over 2,500 on derby days.

Sarkar has penned five songs since joining and designs impressive tifos for various derby matches. The group has also created tifos highlighting unity and equality during significant times beyond football.

While regular fan club activities are not conducted, the group is always ready to lend support when needed. Sarkar recalls how, during Cyclone Amphan, they and other fan groups rallied to raise nearly 2.5 lakhs and provide food, clothing, and other essentials to affected families despite the challenges posed by the Covid-19 lockdown.

Always there

Sarkar began working as a teacher in 2013 and was posted to Siliguri, approximately 600 km from Kolkata. Although it was challenging to attend games regularly, he would write chants, manage social media accounts, and attend matches on weekends. His students, initially unfamiliar with Kolkata football, soon became aware of their teacher’s fervent passion for Mohun Bagan SG.

Balancing his job and commitments to the fan group has been demanding, but his family, including his mother and wife Arundhati, another football enthusiast, have been instrumental in managing household responsibilities whenever Sarkar is away.

“My wife is a devoted East Bengal FC supporter, but she keeps it subdued because of me. Without her support, I wouldn’t be able to do what I do,” he smiles.

Sarkar notes that the average age of a Capo is around 27, but at 36, he continues to perform his role diligently despite the toll it takes on his body. He is actively seeking suitable successors, but until then, Sarkar remains committed to leading the movement and uniting other fan groups.

What drives him despite his health challenges? Sarkar simply replies: “Mohun Bagan SG is the oxygen that keeps my heart pumping.”