Chandigarh's Atul Kumar to captain Indian handball team

Deepankar Sharda

Chandigarh, January 17

It was a day to remember for local handball player Atul Kumar, who has been made the Indian handball team’s captain for the coming 20th Asian Handball Championship, scheduled to be held at Dammam (Saudi Arabia) from January 18 to 31.

A forgotten achiever

Atul, a former trainee of the Sector 19 coaching centre, who trained under UT Sports Department’s former handball coach Ravinder Singh (Laddi), is among the forgotten local players who have brought laurels for the nation. Just like many other local achievers, Atul has been awaiting recognition from the UT Administration for seven years.

Atul, who is now a Junior Warrant Officer in the Indian Air Force, has represented not only the city in many national championships but also the nation. He had represented the nation in the 3rd South Asian Men Handball Championship, Noida (2014). The Indian team had won gold medal in this championship. In the same year, he played in the 17th Asian Games, Incheon (South Korea). In 2016, he was part of the Indian team which won the gold medal in the 12th South Asian Games held in Guwahati. The following year, he participated in the 20th Asian Men’s Club League Handball Championship in Hyderabad, and in 2018, he played in the 18th Asian Men’s Handball Championship in Suwon (South Korea). He was also the vice-captain of the Indian team in the 18th Asian Games, Jakarta.

Playing handball since 2003, Atul was lucky enough to get a job in the Indian Air Force in 2014. “I have been playing for the nation for many years now, but this is for the first time that I will captain the side in the coming championship,” he said. The Indian team has been placed in Group B of the tournament, which includes teams of hosts Saudi Arabia, Iran and Australia. “Ours is a very tough pool and we will try to give our best. In the past, we have defeated these teams at various stages. However, every tournament has its own gives and takes,” he added.

This championship is also a qualification event for the 2023 IHF Men’s World Championship in Poland and Sweden. “We have to overcome every hurdle to qualify for the World Championship. Despite the Covid outbreak, we (team) are well prepared for this tournament,” he added.