IGNACE TIRKEY The senior most player in the team both in terms of age and national team experience, Ignace Tirkey provides crucial stability to the team. A left-half to start with, Ignace is now the main pillar of support in the defence. His cool temperament and excellent stick work makes him ideal to tackle the opposition successfully. Born on May 10, 1981 in the tribal village of Lulkidihi in Sundergarh district of Orissa, Ignace is typical of other players from the region – quietly aggressive on the field without resorting to physical intimidation. Ignace spent his formative years at the Pamposh Sports Hostel and Birsa Munda High School in Rourkela. He joined Madras Engineering Group as hawaldar in 1998 and represented Services at the Chennai and Bangalore Junior Nationals and the Jammu Senior Nationals before making his national debut at the 2001 Akhbar Al-Youm Tournament in February 2001. He was also part of the Junior World Cup-winning team the same year and was among the six players who graduated from that team to the senior ranks in 2002. As a play-maker, he doesn’t get man chances to score but his thrilling match-winner against Pakistan in the 2003 Asia Cup final is one of the best moments in Indian hockey in recent times. He led India at the 2006 Commonwealth Games before injuries forced him out, only to return for the for the Punjab Gold Cup in 2009, where India finished runners-up. Year 2011 was a second coming for Ignace, who returned to the Indian side after being in wilderness for two years for the Asian Champions Trophy, which India won. After being unfairly denied on three occasions, his contribution to Indian hockey was also finally recognized last year, when he was nominated for the Arjuna Award. As if making up for lost time, the Indian government also nominated him for Padmashri, the first Oriya sportsperson to get the award since former skipper and now Rajya Sabha MP Dilip Tirkey. Ignace is married to Masira Surin, herself a former India player and Commonwealth games gold medallist, and has a daughter.