Chandan Nayak, hailing from Sabar Sahi slum of the city of Bhubaneswar, endured a tough upbringing and journey in his quest to become a part of the Indian football team and bring accolades for the country. He took the first steps locally and then went to a scouting/trial program in Pune, where he was selected to go to Munich in a program which is actually intended for boys aged 14 to 16.