Dhanraj Pillay is flying down to lauch the Year of the Youth programme at Chennai. He will be presenting some mementos and kit to the sub-juniors boys of Tamil Nadu. He is the chief guest. Huge banners and a big bill board await him.

Robert Lawrence, a bigwig figure in the Tata emphire, is not new to hockey. Yes, he holds the gubernotorial post in the Indian Hockey Federation as its Executive Director for Development. As he won the hearts of Indian players who brought gold from 1998 Asiad by being their welfare taker, he again was at his best at Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium, Chennai. He presented a special award to Gujarat team, who braved the killer earthquake and its aftermath before reaching Chennai for the Championship, a cash prize of Rs 4000. He was here as guest of honour. The purse may be small but the feeling and warmth behind the gesture is greater than the currency of notes.

India awoke very late to understand the significance of providing competition to juniors. Only in 1953 after winning five gold medals in the Olympics, a National Championship for Under-21 boys was introduced. Mumbai hosted the first edition and won it. After the seventh Championship was held at Chennai, it was neglected by the IHF then headed by Ashwini Kumar. For ten years(1959 to 68) there was no Junior Nationals till Mumbai again stepped in to revive it in 1969. Since then barring 1971 and 1972 it was held uninterrupted every year till 1993. Then it was left to the turn of the IHF headed by KPS Gill to turn the blind eye. Between 1994 and 2000, only thrice the important activity was accomplished.