Indian Express

Hoping to regain his full vision, Indian hockey goalkeeper Baljit Singh will undergo surgery to repair his damaged right eye at a private hospital in Alabama, USA on Tuesday night.

The two-hour operation will take place between 2000hrs and 2200hrs local time (0630hrs to 0830 hrs India time). After doctors at the John Hopkins hospital in Baltimore — where the player had been admitted for his post-operative treatment — said they could not guarantee full vision, Baljit left for Alabama to consult renowned ophthalmologist Robert Morris.

Dr Morris studied reports of both AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) and John Hopkins and decided to do the operation.

“A lot of people are praying for me and by god’s grace I will play hockey again,” an emotional Baljit said on phone.

Baljit is also hoping to be joined by his father there after his travel documents are sorted out. “I am confident because the US embassy has taken his passport and hopefully he would soon arrive here,” he said.

Baljit’s Indian Oil teammate Indrajeet Chaddha will accompany his father. But if Baljit’s father is not able to go, Chaddha will leave for US either on Wednesday or the day after.

“My teammates from Chandigarh have pooled in money to arrange for Chaddha’s trip to US,” Baljit said.

Baljit was injured in a freak incident when a golf ball, while practising in Pune, sneaked through his visor to damage his right eye.

Baljit had to be airlifted to the capital where doctors at AIIMS conducted a marathon emergency surgery but could not promise full vision. The Sports Ministry then arranged his US trip.