Dr. Francis Saldanha

Monday, 25. May 2009 - Harmit Singh Kamboe

For those of us that scan each news headline with respect to football and sports in India, with hope for a somewhat better future, it was a pleasant surprise to read about the Indian Under-16 football team planning a trip to the United States last year.

The name of Dr. Francis Saldanha had come up again and again in the press as one of the key persons involved in making that trip possible, for the India U16 football squad. To find out more about the man and his philosophy and thinking, we decided to get in touch with Dr. Saldanha and were amazed to see his genuine interest in the betterment of Indian sports being followed with real action on the ground.

To find out more about how Dr. Saldanha as MD & President of FS Sports West Virginia is working to bring change in the sporting landscape in India, please read the interview below.


Harmit: Please tell us about yourself. Where were your born, where did you grow up, where did you do your schooling and was sports (specifically football) a large and active part of your life as a child?

Dr. Saldanha: I am a 57 year old physician; I have lived in the USA since 1976. I grew up in Madras (Chennai), and after completing medical school left for the United Kingdom for one year before immigrating to the USA. As a youth, I enjoyed participating in various sports, in particular hockey and track & field. My parents, including my physician dad, placed great emphasis on physical activities. In fact, I learned to box as well.

Harmit: How did your move to the US come about?

Dr. Saldanha: Like most Indians, I left for better opportunities. I am a US citizen now and I have enjoyed living here in Charleston, West Virginia and raising my family.

Harmit: What made you come up with the idea of FS Sports? What are the objectives of this organization and how does it plan to achieve them?

Dr. Saldanha: By the way, it is "FS sports WV". I have, for years, hoped that India would fare well in international sports, particularly in soccer and track & field. I finally decided to start an organization that would help discover and nurture talented youth. The first objective was to establish a level of credibility since I had been away from India for so long, and very few individuals were aware of my intentions, and even fewer would take me seriously. I love soccer and what better way to attract attention than by sponsoring as national team!!

FSsportsWV has also launched a web based talent search portal called http://www.Dekhoyaar.com. This site invites talented soccer players to upload video clips of their skills. We plan to offer prizes. The site is presently free, but a fee for registration component is in the works. This program will identify talent and provide sponsorships to academies and training camps. Quite possibly, these videos will be available to scouts from abroad. The site is brand new! We are waiting for the first video clips.

Harmit: Who funds FS Sports?

Dr. Saldanha: FSsportsWV is funded by me entirely. I heard though that a distant relative might leave me a lot of cash. Just joking! On a more serious note, I hope to attract sponsors as my organization grows.

Harmit: How did the idea for hosting the India Under-16 national team come about? Do you feel that India U16's trip to West Virginia was useful? Were there specific objectives that you had in mind that were achieved as a result of that trip?

Dr. Saldanha: I noted, in 2007, the improvement of the U16 team; I believe this to be the result of the AIFF's decision to hire Bob Houghton and Colm Toal. I felt that this team deserved my support, hence my decision to contact AIFF. I believe the trip to West Virginia was tremendously useful. Although the team's opponents were initially below par, a stronger U16 club from Pennsylvania drew with the Indian team and in fact nearly beat them. My main objective was to demonstrate the superior facilities available in the US and expose the Indians to physically superior opponents.

Harmit: Where does FS Sports go from here?

Dr. Saldanha: FSsportsWV has just completed its first soccer camp in India. We sent two "A" License coaches from the US to Guwahati, Assam, upon the kind invitation of Assam FA secretary Ankur Dutta, who happened to be the manager of the U16 National team. He must be complimented on a fine job. Now, through Dekhoyaar.com, we hope to spread the word and work with the various state associations, clubs, academies etc. We hope to sponsor additional camps.

Harmit: FS Sports helped the Assam FA to prepare their state team for the Santosh Trophy. How did this come about? And who is financing this project?

Dr. Saldanha: FSsportsWV financed this camp. As I mentioned above, we were invited by the Assam FA, and we saw it as an opportunity to advertise FSsportsWV as well as our next project, Dekhoyaar.com.

Harmit: There is talk of Steven Dias trying out for DC United. There are two Indians, Rinku Singh and Dinesh Patel who have contracts with the Pittsburgh Pirates as a result of the Million Dollar Arm reality show. The NBA has identified India as a growth market. Do you see much greater sporting interaction between India and the US as the two countries come closer together?

Dr. Saldanha: I do anticipate further sporting interaction between the two countries. The recession may dull things for a while.

Harmit: Why do you think India's performance and standing has gone downhill from the 1960's onwards, when we were a reasonable footballing nation?

Dr. Saldanha: I could go on and on! Inadequate funding, the lack of a vibrant grassroots program, poor infrastructure and inexperienced coaches are but a few that come to mind. And if you really want to #*!! me off, let's talk about cricket!!

Harmit: What are the some of the key building blocks that you think India is missing out on when it comes to reversing the decline in a serious and significant manner?

Dr. Saldanha: We are talking of the basics I mentioned earlier. In addition we need a hard core fanatical leadership who can be trusted, for example, to heed the advice of the coaches, Houghton & Toal. The US soccer program is an example of what a country can accomplish in 25 years. From bare beginnings, it has made it often to the World Cup, and is among the top 25 soccer countries in the world. India will do well to learn from the Asian countries including S. Korea, Japan and Iran, for example.

Harmit: Have Indo-Americans taken to football (soccer) in appreciable numbers and is there a possibility to see some second/third generations Indo-Americans making a mark in the MLS or the US national teams?

Dr. Saldanha: Several Indian-American youngsters are in the PDL and USL Leagues. It's only a matter of time before they qualify for the MLS.

Harmit: What is your opinion of IndianFootball.Com? Were you aware of this site prior to this interview?

Dr. Saldanha: It is a terrific site! I've been fan of IndianFootball.Com for several years, and in fact it provided the information about the U16 team that started this great adventure of mine!

Harmit: Many thanks for taking the time out for this interview!