Orissa’s jewel Prabodh Tirkey is a ever-smiling, but tire-less traveler on the turf. Prabodh led India to gold in the home Asia Cup in 2007. India won a medal or other almost in every of his outing. Younger brother of Ignace Tirkey, Prabodh led India to title in the Sub-Junior Asia Cup and figured in the Junior Asia Cup, both in 2000. He did not miss any Junior and India A engagements in next year too. At 17, he was the babe of the team that won the gold at Hobart Jr.World Cup. Second batch incumbent of Centre of Excellence and a product of Birsa Munda School in Orissa graduated to India A captain soon when he led the 2001 Poznan Jr. Challenge Cup. Made his senior debut next year in the HA Challenge Cup (Perth) but missed much of action due to injuries that year before joining the gold winning Afro-Asian Games team in the fag end of 2003. Surprisingly ignored for the Athens Olympics campaign, made his comeback in the 2004 Pakistan Test series. He was again overlooked in the whole of 2005. Since making another of his comebacks, again in the Pakistan Test series (2006), he is proving to be an asset for the team. Joaquim Carvalho made him captain of India and since he took over the mantle in May 2007, India has been winning a medal in all the engagements. It was of course an anticlimax when India failed to qualify for the Olympics in 2008 when he was going strong. Wore Bangalore lions label in the first two PHL, before becoming part of Orissa Steelers team in the next two. Plays for Air India, formerly Indian Airlines. Last International Appearance: 2010 Asian Games   Profile updated upto 31-12-2010 ie after the 2010 Asian Games caps and goals excluding Junior India & Develpment team events