SATISH SHARMA

Birendra Lakra, heaved a sigh of relief on June 18, 2021, when he was named among 16 players bound for the postponed 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

A man who has been an unbreachable wall on the hockey pitch faced serious challenges from younger players which kept him on tenterhooks. The defender asserted that such is the Indian team’s bench strength now that no player can take his place for granted.

“Even though I am one of the most senior players, my place in the team is not guaranteed. There is a lot of competition for each position and it keeps us all on our toes,” he said.

Let’s not forget here that Lakra had to wait nine long years for an opportunity to play in his second Olympics. He first played in the 2012 London Olympic Games but sadly missed the 2016 Rio edition because of a ligament tear in the right knee. “I felt sad to miss the Rio Olympics, but I was not fully fit for such an important event. After all, the team’s interest should be above personal glory,” he stated.

Along with finding a place in the team to Tokyo, Lakra has also been named vice-captain, the responsibility he will share with another defender Harmanpreet Singh.

“It is a matter of pride for me. We just hope to work hard and make sacrifices count by winning a medal,” Lakra said.

Birendra and Sreejesh (r) share a victory moment. Both are vital cog in the Tokyo team

Lakra endured hard times after missing the Rio Olympics. After recovery, the unassuming and composed Birendra set his eyes solely on ensuring he remains fit and absolutely ready for the Tokyo Olympics. He resolutely and earnestly worked on a comeback and within a year was back in the team.

The 31-year-old veteran of 197 matches has been vital to the team’s defence in the last couple of years. Born on 3rd February 1990 in a small hamlet called Lachhra in Gurundia block of Sundargarh district to Ignes Lakra and Mary Lakra, he is the youngest of six siblings comprising four sisters and a brother.

He picked up the stick at a tender age in his village and talent came to the fore when he moved base to Rourkela and joined the Day Scholar Scheme launched by Rourkela Steel Plant to promote hockey in 2003. He learned the basics of the game under the tutelage of Peter Tirkey, a junior international.

In 2004 he joined SAIL Hockey Academy (SHA) and underwent training till 2010. He was trained there for a year by Harman Lakra, and from 2005 Raju Kant Saini, a NIS coach, honed his skills.

Blessed with resilience, endurance, and an inbuilt flame of aggression, he became a regular player of the SHA in the first year itself.

Birendra Lakra grew up idolizing former India fullback Dilip Tirkey. It’s hardly a surprise that, like his idol, Birendra has become a nightmare for opposing forwards.

He played his first U-21 nationals in 2004 at the age of 14 at Jabalpur where SAIL finished runners-up losing to Services 2-3. In 2007 SAIL claimed the U-18 national trophy where Birendra scored a hat-trick against SAI in the final.

Due injury Birendra missed the Rio number

His performance earned him a place in the national junior team which toured Singapore in 2007. In 2009 he represented the country in the Youth Olympics in Sydney and the Junior World Cup at Singapore. He was promoted to the senior team to play in the SAF games at Dhaka in 2010 and in the same year he toured Europe with the senior team. Since then there has been no looking back.

Rajukant Saini, his coach and mentor, talks proudly about his pupil. “Ever since he joined SHA he has been a very hard worker. He is a very versatile player who can play in various positions which makes him an asset for any team,” said Saini.

He described Birendra as a very committed player who is always ready to carry a maximum workload.

He narrated an incident during Birendra’s early days in SHA. “In 2005, an East zone team was formed and Birendra did not find a place in the list of probables. He started crying over his omission. I consoled him, saying that a day would come when a five-letter word ‘INDIA’ would adorn his jersey. I am happy that within two years he made his debut in the national junior team,” he added.

Saini feels India has a genuine chance of winning a medal at Tokyo. “This time the team has a very motivated set of players which raises expectations,” he remarked.

The Indian team over the past few years has achieved important milestones including

a gold medal at the 2014 Asian Games, silver at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, titles at the 2017 Asia Cup and 2018 Asian Champions Trophy, a bronze medal at 2018 Asian Games and victory in the FIH Series Final in 2019.

“They also performed exceedingly well in the 2020 FIH Hockey Pro League before the pandemic disrupted the schedule. These are noteworthy achievements to which Lakra contributed,” Saini added.

What’s more, the team has improved its world ranking and is currently at No.4.

In the domestic circuit too, Birendra performed creditably. He was picked up by the Ranchi franchise for the 2013 edition of the Hockey India League and played a pivotal role in its title triumphs in 2013 and 2015.

Talking about the Indian team’s chances Lakra said, “We have worked very hard and sacrificed a lot. All the members are fully motivated and bubbling with positive energy. We are extremely hopeful of a podium finish,” he concluded.