Amardeep Ekka, a promising midfielder, is another gem from Sundargarh. The young lad stuck limelight at the national level recently, being part of the Junior Asia Cup gold winners.
A product of famed Panposh Hockey Hostel (Rourkela), Amardeep is strongly built, hard worker on the filed. He joins forwards in attacks and make quick recovery to help the defenders as well.
Born in Samlaimunda village, Kutra block, Sundargarh District, comes from an ordinary farmer family of Saran Ekka. He is second of four brothers. Hockey comes to him naturally, as an atmosphere exists for the sport in the region. Before picked up by the coaches of the hockey hostel in 1997, he studied in his village school. At the famed hostel as a kid, he began learning the basics of the game from the experienced coaches, Tej Kumar Xess being his first coach.
Later he came under the guidance of Bijay Kumar Lakra and Sylvester Toppo. Presently, as an inmate of Centre of Excellence, he is fine-tuning his skills under senior coach K.C.Choudhury.
Within three years of joining the hostel he became a regular member of the Hostel team, and began playing in various tournaments like Nehru Cup. Sometimes he represented for his school –Birsa Munda Vidyapeeth before making a foray into State team, Orissa at in the Rural Games, Junior and Senior National Championships.
Last year, he helped Orissa in winning the bronze at Guwahati National Games. Later, played for Orissa in the Sr. Nationals Amritsar leg. He had his stint at the Premier Hockey League – as a member of Orissa Steelers.
Amardeep made his international debut in 2007 when India participated in DKV Trophy at Monchengladbach (Germany) under coach A.K.Bansal. Later, he was at Macacu where he had the experience of Indoor hockey – at the second Indoor Asian Games. India won the bronze.
His journey continued. He was again in the junior national team that won the silver at the Kuala Lumpur 8-Nation. The deserving lad could see glod glittering around his neck at Hyderabad last month. In his career that is nascent, he picked gold and it should motivate him to go up in the coming days.
Amardeep is deeply influenced by Dilip Tirkey. He tries to emulate him on and off the field. With whatever experience at this stage, he is aware of the challenges that lie ahead, in particular graduating to Senior grade. He is more determined now to work hard to ensure a place for himself at the top level. Whether he believes himself or not, but his coaches at the hostel do indeed.
K.C.Choudhury says, “Amardeep is an asset to any team. He has tremendous ability to move forward, possesses quick recovery instincts, he is also capable of falling back to help the defenders in times of need. He has in him to make it big. He needs an element of luck, and with that he will surely break into the big league’.
We can only agree with him and wish the lad a success.