Didn’t know of my selection, says Kothajit

Harpreet Kaur Lamba DC New Delhi

It was just another day for midfielder Kothajit Singh, who went about his training module at the SAI Centre in Lucknow, on Monday afternoon.

The national camp for the Olympic hockey qualifiers had broken for a week’s break, and Kothajit had opted to train in Lucknow rather than head back to his hometown Imphal in Manipur.

Back in the capital, Hockey India had announced the qualifiers team, with the news creating quite a stir. Senior midfielder Arjun Halappa had been dropped, while Kothajit — with only two India caps — made the cut.

But the 19-year old Kothajit was oblivious of the happenings. “I had no idea about it (the team announcement). I spent a very normal day talking to the junior players at the stadium, and then doing my training.

“I had given my best during the series against South Africa, which served as trials for the Olympic qualifiers. Honestly speaking, with such big players in the squad, I wasn’t sure if I would make it,” Kothajit said as he joined his teammates for the final preparatory camp here on Tuesday morning.
“It was a great feeling when I got to know of it. My SAI coach told me about it late in the night, and I finally read the papers when I reached Delhi the next morning.”

The 19-year old was greeted with congratulatory messages, along with a bit of leg-pulling from team-mates.

“It was nice. They teased me as I wasn’t even aware of the news,” said Kothajit, who comes from a family of hockey players.

Other than the youngster, his parents and siblings — three brothers and a sister — have all played the sport at some point in their lives. But none of them managed India colours.

And with the Manipur lad now picked for the crucial qualifiers event, he knows it will be the biggest test of his life.

“It used to be the Olympics, but now the qualifiers have become more important to us. And only then can we think about London. I hope to make a difference,” he said.