12-year old Tushar Khandker could no longer resist. His parents were not allowing him to play and practice hockey. He ran away from home, and this kiddish instinct forced his parents to change their minds.
Tushar grew up with hockey. His father expired when he was a tour. He came back to India, returned as quick as possible, and did not miss out any Junior World Cup match.
The spirit, the sacrifice, utter madness to play for the country drive him forever.
Each hockey player’s story is so much of similar stuff that their passion and perseverance are the two wheels on which our Indian hockey rolls on.
Then you know one Ignace Tirkey, the smiling assassin on the turf. ‘Ignace chal gaya toh India chal gaya’ (If Ignace does well, India will do well). This is the common refrain of Indian coaches.
When India won the Junior World Cup in 2001, I asked each gold medalists two names whom they feel best of the lot at Hobart.
Ignace was in most of the list. He made a lasting impression, it is his habit.
Ignace made it to the national team after his younger brother did so; and the fact now is Ignace is all poised to blossom at London, while his sibling Prabodh would sit at home and watch his elder brother’s amazing longevity.
Ignace is typical of those from tribal land. A big family, living in villages without electricity, prospering now because of hockey.
If Tushar is the case of individual’s thirst for the sport, Ignace epitomizes a distant but distinct part of another part of vast Indian canvass – a community’s desire to rise, and hockey being the social instrument of change.
Ignace from non-descript village from the most neglected part of India, had been Indian national teams’ captain for many events including the Commonwealth Games, and he won both Arjuna and Padmashree in the space of one year.
His story does not end here.
I saw him in almost in tears three summers ago at Kuala Lumpur. He was part of the Azlan Shah team, but the coach had a doubt on his fitness. He was not allowed to travel further to Ipoh, and had to return, his plea did not cut ice. He consumed the insult with his characteristic humility. Perhaps only player in the team never complained about anything to anybody.
That’s why the coach did not survive, Ignace did.
Then see the case of Bharat Chetri, our charmer- in- chief in London.
He just missed 2004 number to much junior Adrian D’souza, and then saw with open eyes and pain the 2008 Olympic berth slipping away at Santiago.
Not many would have dared to imagine the guardian-less goalkeeper, who once almost seemed migrated to Malaysia, active in their league, gaining lot of distaff companions, would have survived to London, that too with the captaincy label.
It’s a dream come true for Chetri, who has found a savior in Michael Nobbs, without whose patronage, he would not have scaled the height – first goalie to lead India at the Olympics – which he did ultimately.
Every coach dropped him when almost everyone thought when he was at his peak of form! Nobbs did not.
Chetri is comeback kid. Almost every alternate year of his career is blank, but this simpleton never gave up.
Their sunshine time has come.
Indian team at London is full of Tushars, Ignaces and Chetris.
Each one has his own trails and tribulations, distinct journey to London.
Indian hockey is platform for all.
Where only merit count.
Where cultures melt.
Where human barriers lose track.
Where else you will have the scenario of Coffee-estate Coorgi merge with not so affluent Adiviasi; well built Haryanvi with his Punjabi pugree join fragile Southies, and each UPite set a style trend; no more than three have same mother tongue! What a cultural diversity, add to this the head staff, mostly from migrant’s paradise Australia.
Our players hail from as big diversity as one can imagine. They made it to the team amidst adversity, but climbed up with sheer strength of merit.
Now the time has come for each of these gems — many known to the country as stars, and a few will be so in a fortnight’s time — to stay tall and count.
The country is watching hockey with enthusiasm as never before. The stunning final against France in the Delhi Olympic Qualifier, though erroneously, catapulted hockey into the top delight at the London mela.
The coach Michael Nobbs always played down the Delhi, probably it had no takers, as the nation again indulges in hockey glory or merry whatever.
The players, who toiled over a decade, together with those who made it on the current form, will have to deliver now to meet the minimum expectations of the team.
None would like the story of missed chances, any longer, any more. The world is mercilessly professional. Emotion has limited role.
Our players can meet the expectations, and are well tuned to turn in a stellar show.
Two things are clear. Firstly, players are ready to give their best. Secondly, the nation fully backs them.
A victory therefore will be considered and counted more than that.
Our players deserve to scale what you set out to. We are there with you, and go all out.
Our Tushars, our Ignaces, our Chetris deserve their place in the moon, and it is rising in the land of ‘no sun’.