Sacred Grounds

WINNER OF THE 2025 EKAMRA SPORTS LITERATURE FESTIVAL SPECIAL JURY AWARD

Khep, 7s and Basti

Football in India is alive and kicking!

Not because of a few famous clubs and the top competitions, but because of the regional tournaments, local heroes and the people who keep football culture alive.

The hugely popular Khep games in Kolkata, the hotly contested 7s league in Kerala, the many Basti tournaments in Meghalaya―all of these have kept the ball rolling. And that’s not all. Be it in hilly Mizoram and Nagaland, amidst the lush greens of Punjab, the sandy beaches of Thoothoor in Tamil Nadu or the fabled villages of Goa―football holds a special place in the hearts of many.

Sacred Grounds is an attempt to tell the stories of the many unique Indian football cultures. It is an effort to shine a spotlight on local heroes and other names lost in history or restricted to certain silos, to narrate their fables and myths, and archive their unknown and forgotten stories. It explores the history, folklore, terrain and culture of different corners of India through the prism of football, using the sporting culture and values to reflect the society and its people.

Sandeep Menon is a journalist, author and educator whose writing moves from the playing fields to the page with ease. An automobile engineer by training, he swapped machines for words (after a brief fling with broadcast media), chasing the highs of telling stories and capturing sporting moments.

He spent over a decade as a sports correspondent, where he chronicled not just sports, but also culture, gender, movies, music and several other areas for newspapers such as Deccan Herald, The Times of India and Deccan Chronicle. His commentary on Indian football, particularly through his podcast Injury Time, was noted for its depth, nuance and empathy.

He now works as the Senior Editorial Manager at the Office of Communications, Indian Institute of Science, helping with outreach initiatives and science communication. He also teaches narrative writing and journalism as a visiting faculty at several institutions, while looking out for new subjects to write.

His first book, Out of the Blue: Bengaluru FC's 10-Year Odyssey was released in April 2025. He lives in Bengaluru with his wife, Anchitha Krishna.