Farhin Imran
AIFF Media Team

KOLKATA: At 19, goalkeeper Nandini and forward Sibani Devi Nongmeikapam are aspiring to experience senior national team football for the first time. With the Blue Tigresses set to face 27th-ranked Russia at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on October 8 and 11, the two youngsters are currently part of the training camp that started at the AIFF National Centre of Excellence on September 18.

While the possibility of a debut adds to their excitement, both are currently focused on making the most of their time in camp and learning as much as they can from the seniors.

For goalkeeper Nandini, the call-up was a particularly special moment after having previously debuted for India at U17 level in 2023. She was also part of the AFC U20 Women's Asian Cup squad earlier this year.

“When I received the call-up to the senior national team, I was extremely happy. The first people I told were my coach and my parents, and they were very happy too,” Nandini told the-aiff.com.

The Chandigarh custodian looks up to the India men’s team goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu and hopes to continue learning from him.

“Everything in the camp is going well, and I’m getting to learn a lot from the senior players. I also personally look up to Gurpreet bhaiya as an inspiration. I have learned so much from him, and I want to continue learning from him,” she said.

The camp has given Nandini a closer look at the togetherness within the senior setup.

“At this camp, I’m also learning how the senior and junior players move forward together and help one another. It is a very good opportunity for me to learn and hopefully represent the country at the senior level,” she added.

Sibani, meanwhile, has followed a similar route through the youth national teams. The Manipur winger was first called up to the U17 team in 2023, before progressing to the U19 setup in 2024 and the U20 team in 2025. She scored a brace in the U20 Asian Cup match against Chinese Taipei in April, helping the Young Tigresses end their 22-year wait to bag a win in the competition.

Although she did feature in an international friendly against Maldives in 2025, with India featuring a mix of U20 and senior players, this current call-up felt like a more memorable moment. “When I got the news, I told my parents, and they were so happy and proud,” said Sibani.

Having heard about India's all-time top-scorer Bala Devi Ngangom during her school days, she has always drawn inspiration from her.

“Bala Devi is my inspiration. When I was in school, I heard her name and read about her in the newspaper. That inspired me to play football,” she said.

The winger also found the players to be warm and welcoming since joining the camp.

“When I joined the camp, the seniors were very caring towards us, and that made me feel included. They are also very disciplined, and that is one of the things I have learned from them,” said Sibani.

As India prepare to face Russia twice, both players are now hoping to don the India colours in Kolkata.

“We are all looking forward to the matches against Russia. It will be a great opportunity for us all, and I’m excited about the possibility of making my senior debut and playing in the India colours. Everyone is so nice, and I really like the football culture in Kolkata. So, I hope people come and cheer for us,” Sibani said.

“We hope everyone will come and support us during the matches,” added Nandini.