Why the Armenian community doesn’t get enough credit for advancing rugby in India

The microscopic community in India dominated the sport between the 1960s and early 2000s, leaving behind an unmatched legacy

On a sunny winter afternoon in December last year, a handful of boys, all buoyed by their passion for rugby, are searing the turf at Kolkata’s Armenian College and Philanthropic Academy. Though the rugby season officially commences in June, there are players, albeit a few, already gearing up for it. 

But to truly understand how significant the contributions of the microscopic Armenian community are to Kolkata, one will have to rewind the years and travel a few blocks away from the academy to Park Street, where the Armenians, after arriving in Bengal, progressed to build a church, a college, and schools in the city and contributed to dotting the skyline with iconic buildings such as Stephen Court, Queen’s Mansion, The Oberoi Grand, and the Park Mansions—all symbols of a legacy that’s slowly decaying.  

Even before the British set foot in the country, the Armenians arrived in the state to escape organised persecution of their ethnic group under the Ottoman Empire. Weathered by conflict, community members flocked to the city and submitted themselves to the leadership of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church. With a penchant for entrepreneurship, the community prospered in Kolkata, then Calcutta. 

A storied legacy

Based in Kolkata and having served the Scotland Yard, Indo-Armenian writer and historian Anthony Khatchaturian tells The Established that the community’s achievements are often relegated to the background as the population dwindles in the country. “As the community blended with the mainstream society, they were lauded for their business acumen, cuisine and as marquee rugby players. Given that most Armenians who come to study in Kolkata leave for abroad after finishing school, very little of the culture remains. We’ve been reduced to being just good rugby players. Most communities in Kolkata don’t acknowledge our contributions to the city’s real estate,” he says. 

Over the years, however, what has remained unchanged is the Armenian community’s passion for rugby. Through the 1980s, 90s and even the early 2000s—considered the ‘golden era of rugby’ by Kolkata resident Ryan Galstaun, who is of Armenian ancestry—the men in the community were a formidable force on the rugby field, towering over their opponents and zipping through the slick patch of grass with lightning speed. “When I started playing the sport [rugby] in the early 2000s, we were intimidated by the Armenians. They weren’t necessarily tall but quick and didn’t take any prisoners. This was also when the Armenians were plentiful in Kolkata. They were never compensated for playing the sport because playing rugby in India, before the formation of the Rugby India Federation, meant no monetary reward. We were just passionate about the sport,” he says. 

On record

According to the Armenian College and Philanthropic Academy (ACPA) website, the Armenians were the first to field a non-British rugby team 140 years ago in India. A few years ago, the Armenian boys of the ACPA and the Armenian Sports Club, located on Mayo Road in Kolkata, represented India at the under-19 level under the captaincy of Ejmin Shahjani. The team also qualified for the All-India South Asia Rugby tournament.

The city has also witnessed fierce rivalries in the sport. The Armenians versus the La Martiniere Old Boys (LMOB) tussle for supremacy was all the city’s ruggers talked about until about a decade ago. Having a rich legacy in the sport dating back more than a century and boasting the oldest rugby patron club outside of England—the Calcutta Cricket and Football Club (CCFC)—their rivalry infused a new life into the sport at the time. 

“The Armenians lost their residential talent as many started leaving the country. The year 2009 was probably the last of a fresh batch of youngsters that showed some promise. The Armenians would come to India to flee persecution in Armenia. Playing rugby was something they were taught early in life. Most of the Armenian players I faced were clear about their intent: We left our country because we didn’t want to join the Army there, otherwise considered mandatory,” says Galstaun. Military service in Armenia is compulsory for male citizens aged 18 to 27. The service lasts two years, and conscripts are drafted twice a year according to the Government’s decision. Citizens aged 27 to 50 are registered in the military reserve and may be called to serve if mobilisation is declared.

Past, present and future

Zaven Stepanian, who is also Indo-Armenian and was an active part of various rugby teams in the 90s and 00s, says the Armenian team peaked in the early 50s and 60s under the captaincy of the Sookias brothers, namely Arsham, Hik and Malcom. “He [Arsham Sookias] is a rugby legend; he played the game for nearly 35 years. He and his brothers were captains of the Armenian team between the 50s and 70s. Under their leadership, the Armenian team was unstoppable,” says Stepanian. 

Stepanian also recounts the contribution of his contemporary, Emil Vartazarian, who played for India from 1998 to 2006 as the country took baby steps on the world stage. At the time, the International Rugby Board (IRB) rules allowed people to represent countries where they have been residing for three years or more. That rule has changed now. Galstaun, a training and education manager at Rugby India, says only Indian nationals are allowed to represent the country. 

According to a Hindustan Times report, Vartazarian was keen to become a naturalised Indian and applied in 2002 after completing the mandatory 14 years, but failed for want of documentation. Galstaun says Vartazarian’s contribution to promoting the sport in the south, especially Tamil Nadu, should be commended. “He worked with kids at the grassroots level to build them up. He was always grateful to India for whatever he accomplished here.”

Despite its colonial hangover, rugby has moved away from its ‘club sport’ stereotype in the country. Rugby Sevens was reintroduced as an Olympic sport in 2009 (Rugby had been an Olympic sport between 1900-1924) and included in the Games in 2016.

Now, most of India’s rugby talent comes from non-urban areas: Kids from agricultural backgrounds or tribal belts, children of rickshaw drivers and tea-pickers. According to former India captain and Rugby India CEO Nasser Hussain, in various interviews, the board has spent money on developing the national team, and is indeed doing its part to generate interest in the sport again. 

Also Read: From the grassroots to the senior national team, what’s the state of women’s football in India?

Also Read: What does the future of women's tennis in India look like?

Also Read: Why are Indian corporations not supporting our sportspersons beyond cricket?