A talented goalkeeper from Bangalore, Manuel Fredricks shone under the bar in the 70s. He paired with Charles Cornelius at the 1972 Munich Olympics with distinction. Fredricks was born in Kannur district of Kerala. In addition, he was also part of the Indian team at the 1978 World Cup in Argentina. Fredricks joined the Army Services Corp (ASC), Jalandhar, when he was only 17. Even while employed with ASC, he was allowed to play club hockey and joined Mohun Bagan Club in Kolkata. The first Indian hockey Olympian from Kerala, he made his mark at the 1972 edition of the Games, before shining under the bar at the World Cup the next year. During the 1977-88, he played tests against Holland and Pakistan and was ranked as one of the best hockey players in India. He lives in Bangalore. Manuel Fredricks was honoured with Dhyan Chand award for Lifetime achievement in 2019