Nairobi, April 11 -- In 1996, defender Sammy Omollo became the first Kenyan footballer to play in India's top football league when he joined East Bengal FC who are based in Kolkata.

Omollo left East Bengal FC in 1998 for city rivals Mohun Bagan. But as far as football is concerned, tiny Manipur state has produced most of the players in India women's squad that is currently in Kenya for the 2026 Fifa Series.

It was with much regret that renowned Indian journalist, Novy Kapadia, omitted a chapter on women's football in Manipur in "Barefoot to Boots: The Many Lives of Indian Football." Published in 2017, Kapadia's book shares riveting descriptions of the glorious history and legacy of Indian football.

"I had a special section on women's f...