Sacred Grounds: People’s Football Across India — Book Discussion with Sandeep Menon and Sharda Ugra | 28 March, Satuday | Champaca Bookstore, Vasanth Nagar | 6PM Onwards

We’re excited to host a discussion of Sacred Grounds: A Journey Through People’s Football in India by Sandeep Menon, in conversation with Sharda Ugra, at Champaca Bookstore, Vasanth Nagar.

Here are all the event details:

Date: Saturday, 28 March
Time: 6:00 PM onwards
Venue: Champaca Bookstore, Vasanth Nagar

About the book
Sacred Grounds travels through football heartlands across India—from Kolkata’s khep games and Kerala’s 7s to Meghalaya’s basti tournaments, Goa’s village grounds and the beaches of Thoothoor. It shines a light on local tournaments, unsung players and community organisers who keep the game alive far away from televised leagues. The book explores how football is entwined with history, geography, religion, politics and everyday life, using the sport to reflect the societies and cultures of different regions.

About the speakers
Sandeep Menon is a Bengaluru-based journalist, author and educator, a former sports correspondent with leading newspapers, co-founder of the Indian football podcast Injury Time, and author of Out of the Blue: Bengaluru FC’s 10-Year Odyssey.

Sharda Ugra is a veteran Indian sports journalist whose career spans Mid-Day, The Hindu and India Today; she has contributed to international sports media and co-authored former New Zealand captain John Wright’s memoir Indian Summers.