Jammu, Apr 05: Hailing from Tral in South Kashmir, born in Delhi and brought up in the Philippines, Kashmiri Pandit boy, Ishan Pandita’s global trotting has made this immensely talented Footballer a Soccer star in the country.
Born to Indu and Neeraj Pandita on May 26, 1998, the 25-year old, Ishan wants to write his own chapter in Indian Football.
After the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits in 1990, Neeraj Pandita like other KPs migrated from the Valley and shifted to Delhi.
After the marriage, Ishan’s father who was country head of one American MNC was told to move to the Philippines in connection with his job, where Ishan started the Football journey at a tender age of 4 years.
Growing up in the Philippines and learning basic football skills, Pandita started his schooling in British School of Manila, the capital of the Philippines. In Manila, he was predominantly coached by British coaches, who influenced his game to be attacking and physical, an integral part of English philosophy.
He was first spotted during the Inaugural ‘Airtel Rising Star’ talent hunt event organized by Manchester United in 2012.
After moving back to India in 2009, Ishan joined the International School of Bangalore and gained attention while playing in State level competitions. Ishan’s performance in the 2013 Gothia Cup held in Sweden, impressed the scouts IF Brommapojkarna FC, who later offered him a trial. Thus, Ishan started to gain international fame.
Ishan was the student of IB Curriculum before he moved to Spain for his professional soccer training. Ishan showed an amazing performance and became the captain of his international school football team.
Now, Ishan Pandita is a striker for the Indian national football team. The talented player is well known for being the first Indian footballer to sign a professional contract with La Liga Club, way back, in 2016. He currently plays for the Indian Super League club Kerala.
in 2014, Ishan came to Spain and joined the Inter Soccer Madrid Football Academy, which led him to join Alcobendas Juvenile at a young age.
In 2015, Ishan joined the La Liga club Almeria and played for their U-18 team, but he was unable to sign a professional contract with them because he was not yet 18 years old.
In 2016, he played for the U-19 Leganes and became the first Indian footballer to play for Juvenile in a Spanish top division club. Ishan went down in history as the first Indian footballer to sign a professional contract with the Spanish club La Liga when he signed a one-year deal with CD Leganes.
Ishan’s international football career flourished in 2019, when he signed his first senior contract with Gymnastics Farm Club, PoblaMafumet, and his popularity continued after he signed a one-year deal with Tercera Division Club Club Lorca. Ishan played 26 matches for Lorca and became the top scorer with 6 goals in the 2019-2020 season.
Ishan’s international career flourished, but the Covid Pandemic faltered it. During the Covid-19 pandemic, it became increasingly difficult for him to find a club. Frustrated by the sudden development, Ishan returned to India and made a name for himself on the Indian football scene.
In October 2020, FC Goa made an official announcement that it had recruited Ishan to its team, and Ishan did not disappoint the club. Just a few months after joining the club, Ishan showed great results, coming on as a substitute in the 86th minute and scoring his debut goal for the club in his first touch in the 87th minute against Hyderabad.
After Goa Ishan went to Jamshedpur FC and the Club won the ISL Shield in 2021.
Ishan’s incredible performance in his ISL debut season was celebrated by all clubs and coaches, and it led to Ishan being called up to the Indian national football team in March 2021. Ishan made his national team debut as a striker in a friendly match against Oman, who drew 1-1.
Ishan scored first international goal against Hongkong which enabled India to qualify for the AFC championship.
Ishan’s Dad Neeraj Pandita was earlier Sales and Marketing Asia head of one MNC and now runs his own Company VIIN Solutions Pvt Ltd, while Ishan’s mother Indu Pandita was a Central School Teacher and left her Job so that she could spend more time with her kids. His younger brother Vardan Pandita has done Chemical Engineering from University of Massachusetts USA and is currently working in Tesla USA.
