Kuala Lumpur: 2017 will always be a remembered as a landmark year for Indian football.

While most fans will look back and remember India's successful hosting of the FIFA U-17 World Cup and Jaekson Singh's historic goal against Colombia, there will also be a significant place in history for the tale of Aizawl FC, a trailblazing club who became the first team from India's northeastern region to win the I-League title.

To understand the magnitude of Aizawl's achievement, you only need to look at where they've come from.

After their inception as an amateur team in 1984, Aizawl had disappeared from the footballing scene in the late 1990s. After significant efforts from a group of friends who were passionate about the game, the club was reborn in 2011.

From then on, the club from the capital of the state of Mizoram began its gradual ascent to the top. Professionalism was brought in 2012 and subsequently, a spot in the I-League 2nd Division was on offer.

What followed were four seasons in the second tier before a triumphant campaign in 2014-15 saw Aizawl become the first Mizoram side to clinch an I-League spot. As luck would have it, that honour was secured after a 4-2 win over city rivals Chanmari.

Aizawl's first season in the I-League saw them bring out an enterprising style of play; however, it was not enough to climb up the table. Despite their best efforts, Aizawl finished second from bottom and were set for relegation.

Fortunately, luck would be on their side. With the withdrawal of two other teams, Aizawl were given a reprieve from relegation and a chance to show their worth beckoned in 2017. It was a chance the team took with both hands.

Ahead of the new season, Aizawl's management decided to take the well-traveled road by hiring former Indian international Khalid Jamil, one of the most experienced coaches in the I-League.

Jamil had spent six seasons in charge of Mumbai FC, managing to keep the team in the top division and earning a reputation for a pragmatism and making the best use of available resources.

The task in front of Jamil was simple enough: bring some of that pragmatism to Aizawl and work his magic with the team. Just four months after his appointment, even the manager was astounded at the scale of the team's transformation.

After narrowly escaping relegation in the previous season, Aizawl managed to stun pundits and fans alike by becoming champions of India in 2017. It was an underdog story that grabbed headlines all over the country and beyond.

The title win was built on an enviable unbeaten home record of seven wins and a draw at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, where they were spurred on a raucous crowd decked in red. Kolkata giants Mohun Bagan and East Bengal both fell to 1-0 defeats at Aizawl's den while the previous year's champions Bengaluru FC were held to a 1-1 stalemate.

In the end, it all came down to the title decider on the last matchday - away to Shillong Lajong, another team from the northeast. Hundreds of fans made the 389-kilometre journey from Aizawl to Shillong, hoping to witness their club make history.

All Aizawl needed was a point, to ensure they would finish ahead of Mohun Bagan, the only remaining title challenger. Emotions were running high and it was heightened further when Lajong took the lead through the league's top scorer Aser Pierrick Dipanda.

With Mohun Bagan coming from behind to lead 2-1 against Chennai City in a simultaneous game, Aizawl knew they had to score.

Eventually, it was a local boy who saved them. 21-year old William Lalnunfela had started out as a goalkeeper before making the switch to move up front.

Aizawl proved to be the biggest beneficiaries of that decision as William scored his first goal of the season in the 69th minute. Jamil's men then hold on to get the point they needed and script a happy ending to their fairytale.

After celebrations that seemed to never end, the club has now looked to build on their remarkable feat. As champions of India, Aizawl have been rewarded with a qualifying spot at the 2018 AFC Champions League.

On the 30th of January, Mizoram's history-makers will represent India in a single-legged play-off against Islamic Republic of Iran's Zobahan. Aizawl have been hit by the departure of Jamil and number of their influential players, including captain Zohmingliana Ralte, midfield wizard Mahmoud Al Amna and leading scorer Stephane Kamo Bayi.

Yet, nobody would put anything past Aizawl now - not after what they achieved in 2017.

Photos: All India Football Federation