Arun Narayanan and his brother Kiran are dedicated supporters of Indian Super League (ISL) side Kerala Blasters FC, a passion they've nurtured for nearly a decade. Despite residing 150 kilometers away in Palakkad, they became fervent members of the Manjappada fan group in 2016. Over the past two seasons, their commitment to the club has been unwavering, attending every home match at Kochi’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium without fail.

During the 2022-23 season, their dedication extended to attending five away matches. However, for the 2023-24 season, Arun and Kiran set themselves a formidable challenge: to attend as many of Kerala Blasters FC’s away matches as possible. Undeterred by financial constraints, the demands of their Master’s studies, and other personal challenges, they made a resolute decision after the first away game against Mumbai City FC to pursue this goal.

Their determination was so high that by the conclusion of the ISL 2023-24 season, they achieved an impressive feat — attending every single one of Kerala Blasters FC’s away matches, missing only one game throughout the entire season.

"We will always be there to support the team. Whether it’s a win, loss, or a draw, we don’t care about the result; we will stand by the team at all times," Arun asserts with pride.

Joining the Manjappada family

The two brothers, Arun and Kiran, have been staunch supporters of Kerala Blasters FC since the club's inception. In the initial seasons, they avidly watched every match on TV. Their passion for the club was kindled during their high school days as they observed fans from Palakkad making the journey to attend matches, sparking a desire to join them one day.

Kiran heard about the Manjapadda in 2016 through Facebook and then was integrated into their Whatsapp group of India’s biggest football fan club, alongside his brother. And when they went to watch the matches initially, the atmosphere was unmatched.

"It was a dream come true moment for us watching stars like David James on TV and then in real life," Arun continues. "Especially when we went to the Manjappada stand in the East gallery and watched all the supporters cheering, it was a different feeling."

He says that they have formed many bonds with friends and strangers through Manjapadda, who are now a family. Even though some of them can’t come regularly for matches due to work schedules and other commitments, they always find a way to stay connected online.

While the two brothers travel for matches in Kochi despite the long distance from Palakkad, they have also seen many fans who come to watch games without knowing when they will return home.

"Some fans just come to watch the matches without making any arrangements to get back home," Arun explains. "They sometimes don't have a way to get back home as buses (arranged by Manjappada) are full. They will sleep at railway stations and bus stands. I can't imagine a situation like that."

Finding a way

During their pursuit of Bachelor's degrees in electrical engineering, Arun and Kiran faced numerous challenges. Financial support from their sister enabled them to travel for Kerala Blasters FC games. Often, after university exams, they would sneak off to stadiums without informing their parents, occasionally returning home as late as 4 am the next day, which initially led to weeks and months of scolding. Over time, their parents grew accustomed to their passion, and the scoldings tapered off.

"Such was our passion for KBFC that our college professors and friends automatically knew we wouldn't be available on matchdays," Arun reminisces.

"Whichever tests we could skip, we would do. Matches are primary, all others are secondary," he adds.

They've also been successfully running an online custom gift business called Twins Art Cafe since 2017. Initially a hobby, the business now provides them with a decent income, which they primarily use for traveling to Kerala Blasters FC games. They carefully plan and take enough gift orders before each match to ensure their travel budget remains intact. The flexibility of managing their own business allows them to work around match schedules.

"Many times when we would need help financially, we would ask our sister. She is like our savings account. But for the past few seasons, we didn't want to depend on her, so we have been travelling from our own revenue," Arun reveals.

Travel challenges

Last season, the duo traveled to 10 states for KBFC’s away games, spanning nearly 45 days and over 600 hours. They faced numerous challenges but always found a way through. For Kerala Blasters FC’s away game against East Bengal FC in Kolkata, they boarded a train from Visakhapatnam but faced nearly a 13-hour wait outside the washroom due to unconfirmed tickets until the last moment, with no other options available.

While away games presented challenges, Arun reveals they enjoyed more interaction with players and opportunities to take pictures due to smaller crowds compared to Kochi matches. If not for tight schedules and budget constraints, they would have attended the match against NorthEast United FC in Guwahati.

“The schedule was too tight. After the match in Kochi, we had to reach Guwahati in three days by train which would take four days. Flight prices were too high and we didn’t have much savings to afford that," Kiran explains.

Despite the challenges, they cherish memories and bonds formed with players and squad members. Arun recalls catching a flight back home after Kerala Blasters FC’s playoff game against Odisha FC, where they had a chance to chat with local players like Vibin Mohanan, Mohammed Azhar, Aimen, and Nihal Sudeesh.

“Vibin and Nihal brought us coffee. We never expected that to happen,” Arun says with a smile.

Expanding their reach

As part of the Manjappada, Arun and Kiran are actively working to involve more fans from Palakkad in attending both home and away matches. During the off-season, they've been organising pre-season activities to expand their supporter base.

During the summer break, they hosted an event at a government school in Kookampalayam, Attapady, a tribal area. They distributed bags and study materials to nearly 400 children from 1st to 5th grade, some of which were recycled from a tifo used to support the team, each bag bearing the message 'From the stands to your hands'. The event was attended by Mohanan, who was impressed by the brothers' efforts and took some bags home.

“It was unexpected for the school kids from a tribal area to see someone like Mohanan. All of them were amazed,” Kiran recalls.

While Arun plans to advance in his career after completing his MTech degree and Kiran enters his final year, one thing remains certain: their commitment to attending all of Kerala Blasters FC's matches, whether home or away.

"I have to take the next step in my career. But whatever happens, Kerala Blasters FC will always come first," says Arun.