Hapless victim of a TV sting, this hockey player is now a rising star
Uthra Ganesan
Bhopal Badshah forward Lalit Kumar Upadhyaya has survived ‘media black-washing’ and now shines as a hockey player well on his way to stardom. 20 year old Lalit Kumar Upadhyay is back and has been voted “Rookie of the Year” at the recent World Series Hockey (WSH) tournament. His superb performance is now being hailed as the best in the game
The Aj-tak ‘sting’ and its innocent victim
When he was just 17 and ready to debut into the senior hockey team, a “sting operation” by Aaj Tak suggested a threatening end to Lalit’s career right when it was taking off.
Reporters posing as Uttar Pradesh-based promoters approached Indian Hockey Federation’s then secretary-general K Jothikumaran in April 2008, and offered to sponsor a tournament. They added that they were ready to pay to ensure that a fringe player from their region was selected to the Indian team.
Though the name of the fringe player wasn’t revealed during the telecast of the sting operation, speculation began over who it was. And all fingers pointed in one direction. Lalit from Varanasi was the only player from Uttar Pradesh on the probables’ list of the senior Indian team at that time. When the investigation began into the matter, officials “leaked” his name.
Then, in one of the transcripts of the sting operation that appeared in the media, Upadhyay was mentioned. Even though the reporters were only posing as promoters, and despite the fact that it was a fake offer meant only to “trap” Jothikumaran, it was the innocent Lalit who paid the highest price.
In the clean-up operation that followed the telecast, the IHF was suspended, the Indian Olympic Association took charge of the sport and the “tainted” Lalit Upadhyay was dropped.
Senior players, including Arjun Halappa, Dilip Tirkey, Vikram Pillay and Deepak Thakur, among others, returned to the national team; many of the new foreign coaches who came in hadn’t even heard of Upadhyay.
Pillay: a friend in need
Former India captain Dhanraj Pillay helped Lalit get on Air India’s hockey team to play on a monthly stipend. He went on one more tour with the junior India team, to Malaysia in 2009. However, that seemed to be the end of his career till the WSH, and his selection on the ‘Bhopal Badshahs’.
With his performance, he shut all those voices of scorn and criticism. Upadhyay was named “rookie of the year” because of the speed he showed in the wings and his ability to control the ball and also create chances down either side.
Following the Rs 10 lakh prize money, the comments directed his way have changed — people are now showering praise for his talent as well as regret for what happened to him.
17 years old and defenceless against media mud-slinging
Recalling his struggle, Upadhyay says it hadn’t been easy for him to get back into the game. “On that night after the sting operation, my phone rang every now and then. I was disturbed. I had no idea how to deal with such a situation. I lost all hope and went into depression,” he says.
Still confused, Upadhyay adds: “Till date I don’t know why my name was dragged into the sting operation. I was 17, training with the national squad. I didn’t even know what a sting operation meant. Suddenly, for no fault of mine, I was ignored.”
A gem of a player say professionals
Pillay says there is none in the country who can play better in the right-in and right-out position that Upadhyay occupies. Then national coach Joaquim Carvalho calls him “exceptional” and rues that the sting operation ensured that his talent was never utilised. Remembering how Upadhyay’s world changed in a matter of days, Carvalho says: “The poor boy had no role to play in the incident. He was just 17 when he played for India under-21 side.”
The best bouquet has come from Pakistan legend Shahbaz Ahmed. During a WSH technical review committee meeting, says Carvalho, Ahmed told him: “That boy Lalit, he plays like me… The boy is exceptionally talented.” For the amateur, that’s similar to what Don Bradman said for Sachin Tendulkar.