Love in Tokyo for game of hockey

It was in 1965 that I was admitted to Government Model School, Ludhiana, in Class IX. It was a popular school with excellent teachers and an inspiring headmistress. Incidentally, my bench-mate for the next two years was an adroit hockey player (he later played up to the university level and his younger brother represented India in hockey). I always found his stick-work, body movements and ball control mesmerising and would root for him with yells from the sides. ‘Cricket by chance and hockey by dance’ was a common refrain amongst hockey fans then.

As we became good friends, I often accompanied him to the hockey matches and nearby tournaments he played in. Once we went to Sahnewal village, 15 km from Ludhiana, to witness a hockey match. It was pitch dark when I returned home. I received a sound thrashing from my father, who was pacing up and down waiting for me. And that’s how I developed a long, abiding love for hockey, though I couldn’t pick up the sport myself.

The year 1966 was an epoch-making year for Indian hockey. It was winter and the school teachers were agog with excitement. The hockey final between India and Pakistan at the Asian Games was to be played that day. Jasdev Singh’s commentary on radio would weave magic — he was the ‘voice of hockey’. Such was the craze for hockey that as India beat Pakistan by scoring a goal in extra time, the school bell wouldn’t stop pealing. Boisterous celebrations erupted, sweets were distributed and a school holiday declared!

I wouldn’t miss a chance to witness hockey matches during the 1982 Asian Games at Delhi, when I was posted as the Senior Superintendent of Police in neighbouring Faridabad district. The performance of our hockey team was disappointing. Indian hockey was on the decline. Expensive astroturf had replaced natural grass, our happy playing conditions; stick magic had given way to long and aerial passes.

But I was overjoyed when as the DGP Haryana, I got a chance to dribble and do some stick-work, nay, paperwork, and play a role in the appointment of two top players of Indian hockey as direct DSPs in Haryana Police. One of them has breached the ‘sports barrier’ by plunging into politics and is now the Sports Minister of Haryana.

Now, I have been following the hockey matches of our men’s and women’s teams being played in the Olympics! My wife and I were up since 6 am, waiting impatiently for the start of our match against Germany for the bronze medal. We were glued to the television like statues, fists clenched in tension, eyes wide open and hearts pounding. What a suspenseful, draining hour, and eventually what an astounding victory! The rapturous days of Indian hockey seem to be back again with a dramatic turnaround in Tokyo. And I’m sure it will continue to grow stronger, faster and higher!