Thokchom the secret behind Punjab success

Alright, Punjab women have won gold in the National Games. And an enthusiastic Deputy Chief Minister, Sukhbir Singh Badal, has promptly congratulated the team for bringing laurels in Punjab’s traditional game.

In a statement issued here, Badal, who is the president of Hockey Punjab and the Sports Minister, while congratulating the Punjab women’s hockey coach and the players, said that the game of hockey was synonymous with Punjab. The name of Punjab has emerged with flying colours at the National level.

Something, however, is odd. The scoresheets of the tournament show one Anuradha Devi Thokchom as the most prolific scorer of the team and tournament as well.

How come Thokchoms in Punjab? Till now Kaurs and Singhs ruled roost in Punjab hockey; now Thokchoms have infiltrated the erstwhile bastion of hockey.

A look at the Punjab’s scoresheets in the tournament will easily let out the secret that a Manipur native Anuradha Devi Thokchom has been carrying the team over her shoulders.

The 26-year-old forward scored a hat-trick against UP (3-1), scored the equaliser against Jharkhand (2-1) and drew first blood against Odisha (3-0) in the semifinal.

She has represented India in 67 matches and scored nine goals in international hockey. If you think this is it, there’s more. Lalremruati Khangte and Rasalind Lalachhanhimi Ralte are other players from the north eastern states.
Four players representing Punjab, Hardeep Kaur, Monica and Anju Dhiman and Reena Rani, are actually products of a Shahbad-based academy in Haryana. Punjab coaches, of course, would be knowing it well.

Actually, in a bid to raise the medals tally, states try to rope in players from every possible quarter. Thokchom is a a railways employee posted in Punjab, which makes her eligible to play for the state. Same is the case with the other players. Sources said Punjab had tried its best to put up an assorted team and were eager to rope in more but had to be content with these many.

So, if you think there has been a revolution in Punjab’s talent pool, think again.