She was the university champion in athletics. A few years later she again broke a tradition in the East Indian community saying she wanted to be called ‘Aaji’ rather than Granny or Nani. At the MSSA ground, in a refreshing departure from pushy parents trying hard to borrow attention for their children, these days Myra D’Gama frequents the football ground to cheer not

only for her grandson Mathew but also to enjoy the game.

She does not reveal the team she supports first up, but her yellow and green cap gives away her loyalties. She says: “It’s Stanislaus, you got it.”

Sitting on a chair near the sidelines of the ground, Myra is constantly issuing instructions. She eggs the boys on to ‘go for the ball’ and also asks them to be a little quick on their feet. But at the same time Myra, who is over 80 years old, also cheers for the opposite team.

She says: “The opposite team (Cathedral and John Cannon) have raised their game and are playing well.” Coming back to the match she says: “My grandson declared in the house ‘Aaji we are determined to win’, so our entire family is here to see them win.”

There are no glowing metaphors nor nostalgia when she talks about the golden days when her brother Owen Ferreira was playing for India, but she plainly says: “Football is in our blood. I am still very fit because of sports.”

She does not want to dwell more on it and shifts her focus to the game: “It’s great that these boys are getting the required media attention. It gives them great support.”

But with no goals on the board and the match heading into a tie-breaker, Aaji was heard exclaiming, “Dhatteriki.” She later explains, “I never liked penalties. Even in my playing days I used to dread them.”

One did not expect her to be calm when her grandson came to take the spot kick and missed it. But instead of a rebuke, she clapped with excitement and sportingly declared: