Perth [Australia], March 1 (ANI): One day, Sushmita Lepcha found herself added to the Indian women's national team WhatsApp group. There had been no prior conversation telling her she had been selected. For a few seconds, she was confused, according to the All India Football Federation (AIFF).

"I was added to the group, and I had not received any information before that," she recalled. The bewilderment persisted until her East Bengal club coach, Anthony Andrews, confirmed it to her. "He told me, 'Yes, you've been called up'," said Sushmita.

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For someone who had never imagined wearing India's blue jersey, the moment felt surreal. It was going to be her first national team camp, and not just any camp, but one leading into the AFC Women's Asian Cup in Australia, where India had qualified after 23 years.

Sushmita is 29. Her journey into football did not begin in academies or structured youth systems, but in Kalimpong in northern West Bengal, in a space where girls' football barely existed.

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Where she grew up, football was for boys, and her entry into the sport came through her elder brother.

"There wasn't really anything for girls in football. I learned by watching my brother. He was a football player, and seeing him play inspired me. I felt that I also wanted to play," Sushmita told the-aiff.com in Perth.

She started making friends through football, and that's what paved her path to move outside her hometown as the game became more than just a hobby.

"One day, a local coach, whom we used to call 'Mini Uncle', took me to Darjeeling to play in a local tournament."

That trip widened her world, and from there, she began playing more local matches, and her circle expanded gradually.

Eventually, she began playing in the Calcutta Women's Football League for a club called Sevayani Social Welfare Organisation. Her progression continued as she moved out of West Bengal to first play for PIFA Sports FC in Mumbai, before Kickstart FC came calling in 2020.

"Kickstart asked for small video clips of my game. After watching those, they called me.

"I spent a lot of time at Kickstart, and I learned a lot. Playing with Kickstart earned me a call-up to the Bengal state team for the Senior Women's National Football Championship (for Rajmata Jijabai Trophy). In 2023, Bengal qualified for the final round in Amritsar. In 2024, we reached the semi-finals in Kolkata."

Her performances did not go unnoticed. While playing for Bengal in the 2023-24 Rajmata Jijabai Trophy in Kolkata, she caught the attention of East Bengal FC.

"When East Bengal approached me, I felt this was something I should not miss. It was my state club, and it meant a lot. My parents and brother encouraged me not to let this chance go. It's a big club."

Joining East Bengal was transformative. It placed her alongside seasoned Indian internationals and under the guidance of Anthony Andrews.

"When I joined, I never imagined that I would get to play alongside Indian national team players like Asha di (Ashalata Devi Loitongbam), Sweety (Devi Ngangbam) and Anju (Tamang). I felt very happy. I knew I would get to learn from them."

It was at East Bengal that she began to understand the finer details of the highest level of Indian football.

"At East Bengal, I learned what professionalism in football really means. I am still improving and learning every day."

The Moshal Girls were crowned champions of the 2024-25 Indian Women's League, thus earning their place in two continental tournaments - the AFC Women's Champions League and the SAFF Women's Club Championship. So, despite being a newcomer in the national team, playing at the top level in Asia will not be new to her.

"When I first played in the AWCL, it was a superb experience. Match by match, I realised that international football is much tougher. Nothing is easy at that level. That learning curve was invaluable.

"But honestly, I never thought I would get the opportunity to represent India. When I first started playing back home, national representation was not part of the dream. The goal was simply to play because I enjoyed it," Sushmita said.

But steady growth and the right guidance changed the trajectory. "The club, the coach, and everyone at East Bengal supported and motivated me. The support from East Bengal and Coach Anthony played a big role in where I am today."

Her first call-up brought her straight into a high-intensity environment under her first foreign coach, Amelia Valverde. The preparation camps in Turkiye and Australia were unlike anything she experienced before.

"When I travelled to Turkiye and Australia with the national team, it was my first time in such a serious camp and directly preparing for a major tournament. I felt nervous but also excited."

But having already shared a dressing room with some teammates at East Bengal helped. In India's 26-member squad for the Asian Cup, there are eight players from the Red and Gold Brigade, including Sushmita.

"When I started at East Bengal, my aim was simply to play well for the club. Because of the club and the support from Coach Anthony, I got this opportunity in the national team. For me, that itself is a big achievement.

"Going forward, I just want to give my best, stay strong, and continue improving. I hope to help the team in the best way possible because this is a very important tournament for us," Sushmita concluded.

From local tournaments with her brother to international club competitions, from being asked to share video clips for selection to discovering her national team call-up via a WhatsApp notification, Sushmita Lepcha's journey has never followed a predictable script.

Now, she hopes to pull on the India jersey for the first time, and that too, in a major tournament. She may not have dreamed of it when she began playing casually back home, but maybe, just maybe, she must quietly be believing that this is where she belongs.

India will play Vietnam in their first match of the AFC Women's Asian Cup Australia 2026 on March 4 at 16:30 IST. (ANI)

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)