K. ARUMUGAM
Indian men’s hockey team is all set to land on the land of the Rising Sun. In exactly two weeks, they will be playing their first match at Oi Stadium in Tokyo.
Oil sector eye on young players and it is paying dividends to the country
While the entire sporting fraternity prays for Indian hockey’s decent show, we need to ponder over some vital aspects. Who support players, who provide them decent job, and thus ensure decent lifestyle. Players drive all these needs from the supporting institutions, their employers. Of course, these institutions select those who are meritorious, deserving and elite performers. Its both ways, always
Indian hockey, unlike many of the 100-odd hockey playing nations, practices a kind of semi-professionalism. Most players are employed with institutions and that’s how they could play for India without bothering about how to earn decent income. In fact, its search for permanent and decent jobs that keeps hockey sport alive in India.
Traditionally, bulk of the national level players used to come from three main sources: Services (Army, Navy, Air Force), Indian Railways and the defunct Indian Airlines.
INCREDIBLE: Petroleum Sports Promotion Board provides 12 players for the Tokyo bound Indian hockey team
A look at the profiles of Tokyo team, however, presents a different picture.
There are not even a single player from Services and Airlines. Amit Rohidas and Nilakanta Sharma provide much needed image-saver for the Railways.
Now, the crucial question. Who have then taken their place?
Obviously, its Oil Sector. 12 of the 19 Tokyo tornadoes (including 3 travelling reserves) are from the Oil Sector. The split up is as follows:
Petroleum Sports Promotion Board
Bharat Petroleum: 5 (Harmanpreet Singh, Birendra Lakra, Vivek Sagar, Lalit Upadhyay, Varun)
Indian Oil Corporation: 4 Simaranjeet Singh, Krishan Pathak, Dilpreet Singh, Hardik Singh)
Oil and Natural Gas Corporation: 3 (Gurjant Singh, Sumit, Mandeep Singh)
Others are from either from Banking sector, State or Central Agencies.
Over all, these institutions (ONGC, IOC, BPCL & others) spot talents, provide stipend, recruit them early and thus provide them a life cover. These institutions pay them decent salary, provide competition avenues, ensure leave for training camps, and many other essential things that a player needs in his career growth.
We need to therefore salute Oil Sector, its umbrella body, Petroleum Sports Promotion Board, primarily in keeping our players protected, prosper and shine.