“When you really want something, the whole universe conspires in helping you achieve it.” This line from the famous novel The Alchemist fits the life of Mir Mustasan, the 24-year-old rugby player from Amity Law School (ALS). Another quote – “Gentlemen play hockey, boys play football and men play rugby” – was enough to inspire this youngster from Kashmir to try his hand at rugby. He fought past every adversity and reached the place he always aspired to.
The beginning
When he decided to take up the game, he did not get the support he would have wanted. He comes from a family with a strong medical background. “I always had it in me from the beginning to do something different, and what could be better than rugby? Initially I faced a lot of problems because my folks advised me against the game. For them rugby was sheer bloodshed and nothing more. It was not considered a sport. But I held my ground and continued in pursuit of my dream,” said Mir.
Among those against his idea of taking up rugby was his father, Basarat Salim, a doctor by profession and a member of the planning commission. Mir started playing in 2005, when he was only 18, and was a member of the first J&K rugby sevens team. “I started playing at the age of 18, which is a very late start because the career span of a rugby player is very short,” he added.
Challenges
Coming from Kashmir and making a name in the sport has not been easy for him. Apart from strong opposition from his family, he also faced serious problems with infrastructure. “When I started playing rugby back in 2005, no one in Kashmir knew about it. We were passionate guys who wanted to play rugby and were seen as hooligans. We never had any grounds, no proper infrastructure, nothing. But determination helped me in every walk of life. I never got intimidated by anything,” he said.
His passion for the game was so strong that multiple surgeries, which kept him bedridden for more than two years, could not stop him. “I had a cyst in my leg, due to which I had to undergo multiple surgeries, and I was advised to stay off the field for two and a half years. But that did not dampen my hopes,” he added.
Determination
His team, J&K, plays in the B-division league and his sole aim is to take them to the A-division. “Kashmir plays in the B-division, but I will definitely bring it up to the A-division. I have seen rugby evolve in Kashmir in front of my own eyes. The infrastructure for rugby in Kashmir has developed a lot and that has drawn many kids to the game. I see Kashmir as a new force to reckon with in Indian rugby, and trust me, I will be the one spearheading that,” he said.
Mir weighed 58 kilos when he started playing rugby and now weighs 105 kilos. He put on that mass because he wanted to play as a forward rather than in the backline.
Inspiration to others
Although rugby is not a suitable career for an Indian to pursue, he has inspired members of his family to take up the game. His younger brother, Mohd Basarat, who is just nine, has taken to rugby and shows more grit than him. Four of his cousins also play the game, and all of them have played at district and state level.
Future
Mir has just signed with Delhi Lions, one of the best clubs in India, and wants to stay with them as long as possible. He will also take part in the EFL, the Indian version of the NFL, which is due to start next year and will involve eight top teams from India. “I have joined Delhi Lions and, God willing, I will continue with them as long as possible,” he said.
Mir is optimistic about the EFL and believes it will change the face of Indian rugby. “The EFL will do wonders for the game in India. It will start pumping money into the game, and I guarantee it will grow bigger than the IPL within five years of its start,” he added.
Gratitude
Mir is highly indebted to his Delhi Lions coach, Hiralal Bhasin, an inspirational figure for him whose love for the game he looks up to. “My coach just loves the game. He built a stadium with his own money so that the boys have a place to practise. He also takes care of the expenses of the boys who come from Haryana to the camp. He does all that because the rugby association does not have any money. Such is his love for the game that he lost a finger on his left hand to it. He is a great character to idealise,” said Mir.
He is also grateful to the director of ALS, Maj Gen Nalinder Kumar, without whose moral support it would not have been possible for him to play the game. “He helps me morally and also academically. I never face any trouble when it comes to my studies,” he added.
Outlook
He has a simple philosophy and lives by it: ‘If you have to die, then why die on the bed? Die on the field.’ He never had anything to prove to anyone but himself. He loves the taste of blood on the field and waits to take down opponents who come charging like a bull. On the field his opponents are enemies, but off it they are brothers. He also sees no point in collecting medals and certificates. “Till date I have not collected a single certificate, because I don’t need them. I don’t play to get a government job. To me, honour is in holding the ball, not the trophies,” said Mir.
By Samikshan Dutta Choudhury
Indian Sports News
