Danish Mujtaba: When he loaned money to his brother Hamza

Some players want limelight. Some others shun. There are others who don’t know they are so. They
just focus on game, as nothing else count. Newly appointed Indian captain Danish Mujtaba belongs to the last category. The young heart will lead Indian challenge at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup which starts late next week in Malaysia.

Before the nation turns to him for captain’s perspective, before the field goings on consume away the news space, www.stick2hockey.com turn to him and his mentor- brother Hamza Mujtaba to dig out those etc moments that make up Danish — as he is to the family and to the world.

Indian hope in Ipoh, Danish is not a dasher either on or off the turf, but a polite impact maker whatever he does. A definite darling of all the coaches under whom he happened to train, Danish has come a long to bring his hockey family into the limelight. His elder brother Hamza Mujtaba, whose footsteps Danish scrupulously followed before making his own footprint, joins s2h with abandon joy to let us more about the new leader.

Here is Danish Mujtaba for you.

And, first things first.

Danish Mujtaba is not only elated but also feel honored to lead India.

“When my coach (Michael Nobbs) rang me and gave the news it felt nice, very nice. Its a great moment for me, for my family. Hope to live up to the responsibility bestowed upon me,” excited Danish said after much prodding, after a strenuous work out in the national stadium on Thursday.

“We have a very young side this year. But, everyone is supportive and we make a good team.”

It’s a fitting elevation for the 24-year old Allahabadi, who had an amazing start to this year. Ever since he commenced his international career 6,7 years ago, every year has been remarkably so. Danish dazzled for Delhi Waveriders in the hugely popular Hockey India League in January-February. With a goal here, there, when needed and being omnipresent on the turf which needed his services to the hilt, he did his part well to propel the team to complete success. Then came the World hockey League Round 2, where he was convincing too, even landing on the podium to receive ‘Player of the Match’ against his twin strikes that settled the Bangladesh fire before it engulfed India as the neighbour would turn the table and strike first in the unexpectedly tough encounter that India had to endure in its last engagement in the R2 FIH tournament.

Playing to potential, and giving hundred percent to the team’s cause came naturally to Danish, as this is what he learnt from early days since taking up the stick.

Danish’s tryst with hockey began early. He was led in his pursuit of hockey by his brother Hamza Mujtaba, an established hockey player himself (He played in the last South Asian Federation Games).

Recalling their childhood days, elder Mujtaba says, “Our grandfather and maternal uncle used to play hockey. So, our interest in hockey was obvious. Initially, my elder brother Shariq and I started playing hockey. Danish was about 2-3 years at that time.”

Danish adds: “As a kid, I never got toys to play. I only had hockey sticks of all sizes at my place. If we purchased newspapers, it was only to get hockey news; if we had a television set, it was only to watch hockey matches. That was the kind of exposure we had for hockey at home,” he says with a twinkle in his eyes.

When Hamza joined Sports College, Lucknow in 1995, Danish was just seven years old. Four years later, the elder Mujtaba paved his way to join the Delhi based Air India Academy where Waverriders’ coach AK Bansal was there to hone his skills. Soon, he landed up in the Indian Oil team, for whom he still continues to play. These successes came much later in his life.
As a beginner in hockey, Danish idealized ‘Hamza bhai’ while growing up. He followed his footsteps almost madly. He wanted play hockey first like his elder, enroll in the same Sports College where Hamza would, and then the same academy, SAI-Air India National Hockey Academy.

“Danish being the youngest child in our family, he was pampered a lot. However, right from the beginning, he has been a shy guy, may be a big introvert. He is not open talking to people especially girls. He runs away from girls,” Hamza laughs off.

Danish made his junior international debut under coach AK Bansal. In 2009, he got a call to join a senior camp under the then newly-appointed coach Jose Brasa. For a couple of matches, he was not given a chance in the playing eleven, but gradually ensured his elevation. There has been no stopping since then. In fact the big bash for the Mujtaba came in 2010 when Danish played the World Cup and later when he was selected for the 2012 Olympics.

“I cannot explain what a matter of joy it was to the entire family when the news of Danish’s selection for the last Olympics broke. Our family has been associated with hockey for a long time but nobody ever played Olympics. Danish is the first Olympian of our family. The fact that he will be called as ‘Olympian Danish’ all his life is the best thing we could have ever expected. Plus he becoming the captain for Azlan Shah is like an icing on the cake. We will always be thankful to the Almighty for all that he has given us,” says visibly elated elder Mujtaba.

So, what interests our Mr. Captain other than hockey?

Danish himself responds.

“I take up everything that comes my way. However, I like tennis, swimming and flying kites. In fact, my ammi (mother) always had a grudge against my kites as I would often bunk studies just to fly kites the whole day”.

Hamza also has an interesting episode about his Olympian brother.

“When I was leaving for Delhi to join the Air India Academy, the money my mother gave me was insufficient for my stay there. Around that time, Danish had with him some Rs. 400 as he had just got a school scholarship. He loaned all the money to me. That was very generous of him.”
And did Hamza return the loan?

“After I got a job, I bought him new clothes and returned the amount. But Danish would not take it. I could have never repaid the amount in one go. So, I used to save coins in a piggy bank and would like to give it to him once it was full. But he would not accept anyway each time I offered. Though, today by the grace of God, we have earned way too ahead.”

After 14 years, Danish too remembers the incident vividly. “I never wanted him to return the money. Simply because I gave him when he needed, and with god’s grace I had that money that time”.

What we see on turf, how our players entertain and that kind of stuff, doesn’t come just like that. There is history of hearts behind every player’s origin and growth, as Hamza-Danish’s loan episode vouchsafes.

This is exactly the foundation on which our castle of Indian hockey is raised, and that’s why the game connects to people of this country.