Talented midfielder Ignace Tirkey has recently been chosen for the prestigious civilian award, Padamshree.

He is the second hockey player from the gifted adivasi belt (eastern part of India) to get the acclaim, after his senior Dilip Tirkey got his own five years ago.

The twosome are from the state of Orissa, which has almost produced 15 internationals in the last decade alone.

The award surely recognizes the contribution of single area to the development of national sport, hockey. This is how one can sum up this.

Ignace got his Arjuna Award — given for sporting excellence — also in the same year. Thus, he becomes the only player in the Indian hockey horizon to make this feat — of getting two coveted awards in the same year.

Further, Ignace hails from Services, which of late has not been contributing to hockey in any big way, at least not in sync with the great tradition the forces had established over six decades. Right from Dhyan Chand down to BK Subramani, it has produced unending number of stalwarts.

so, the rise of Ignace therefore is a good sign.

When Iganace got his Arjuna this year, he was the proud man, as, among other things, this award came to Services kitty after three decades. Winger Harcharan Singh was the last to have this distinction, though aged stars Haripal, Bhola and others got this in the late 90s, but there were not in their playing form and it was before Dhyan Chand awards were introduced.

Ignace is only the second player from the ranks of Services to get Padamshree after Shankar Laxman’s feat in 1967. This meant it took nearly 33 years for another Services player to repeat the acclaim of Shankar Laxman.

Ignace has done that. Hope Services recognizes the rare feat of a simpleton who rose from the ranks of soldier.

So far only 18 hockey players out of at least a hundred legends who dot our land, could get the honour, Ignace is only the second from the ranks of Services.

This award should motivate not only the poor tribals of Orissa to go for more and more hockey, but also the Services, especially the Army, to play their rightful role in creating impact making players for the country. Regrettably, even since the concept of Army XI came, the various institutions that made up of Services have lost thier importance.

We no longer used to cherish the heroics of ASC or Signals nowadays, all lost in the misplaced concept the Services have adopted.

It is not time to dwell on this, but certainly after Ignace’s rise, the organization has to intropsect and come forward with visible and deliverable results

The rare double feat of Igance is welcome in many ways – if that opens the Services, it will be all the more appreciable