Palakkad: Thirty-three years after posing for a photograph with their childhood football hero at the Palakkad Town Hall, two brothers from Kerala found themselves recreating the same moment with I M Vijayan thousands of miles away at a football tournament in the United States.

For Sajith Kunnath and Sreejith Kunnath, the reunion marked the reliving of a cherished memory that had stayed with them since 1993, when they first met Vijayan during the inauguration of an event in Palakkad. Sons of Puthur Ravi, a former player of the Postal Department football team, Sajith and Sreejith were then aged 13 and 10 respectively.

Active in football even at that young age, the brothers looked up to I. M. Vijayan as an inspiration. The football icon too happily posed for a photograph with the young admirers, a picture that would remain close to their hearts for decades.

Life later took the brothers across continents. After completing his studies, Sajith moved to Brazil for work, while Sreejith established his own company in Canada. Sajith also shifted to Canada four years ago. Despite settling abroad and building successful careers, both have remained closely connected to football, continuing to train in the sport while also enrolling their children in football coaching.

The brothers recently travelled to the United States as players of Diamond FC Canada to participate in a football tournament. In a remarkable coincidence, I M Vijayan had also arrived at the tournament as a special guest. The reunion soon turned into a nostalgic moment as the trio recreated the old photograph, reviving memories from more than three decades ago.