From partial paralysis to Olympics debut, Sukhjeet Singh’s story of true grit

Indervir Grewal

Chandigarh, July 26

Every day for what felt like an eternity, a helpless Sukhjeet Singh was overwhelmed by the realisation that his bright future was unravelling and the world leaving him behind. Paralysed in one leg and confined to his bed, a 21-year-old Sukhjeet wondered whether a lifetime of hard work and sacrifice would come to nothing; and that too after getting so close to realising his dream of playing for India.

Playing my first Olympics, I am truly excited and all that remains now is to give it my all on the pitch. Sukhjeet Singh

Six years on, Sukhjeet is ready to take on the world with his electric speed and indefatigable spirit as he makes his Olympics debut with India’s opening game against New Zealand tomorrow.

But it all seemed so distant in 2018. “It was during his first call-up to the national camp,” said Sukhjeet’s father Ajit Singh. “The team had a fitness test. Despite being unwell he passed the test, even leaving the other campers amazed. But the downside was that his muscles became very stiff. During a session with the physiotherapist, a wrong nerve got pinched and his right side got paralysed,” added Ajit, who works with Punjab Police.

After getting treatment in a Bengaluru hospital for three months, Sukhjeet returned home to Jalandhar. “I went to pick him up at the Amritsar airport. He arrived in a wheelchair and my heart sank. I could not believe it, what we had hoped for him and what had happened,” said Ajit.

Father’s dream

Ever since he handed a five-year-old Sukhjeet the hockey stick — cut down to a suitable size from his own stick — for the first time, Ajit was convinced that his son would play for India. “There was this inner voice which told me that he would achieve what I could not,” said Ajit, who played at the national level.

“I used to work with him even at home, devising hockey drills. I wanted to ensure that when he joined an academy, his basics were solid. He told me later that his coaches would ask him where he learnt to play,” he added.

After initial training in Jalandhar, Sukhjeet moved to the government academy in Mohali. “He was with us from 2008 to 2014,” said Gurdeep Singh, Sukhjeet’s former coach at Mohali. “He was a firecracker of a player from the beginning. He was so quick and had brilliant stick skills. But I especially remember him for his work ethic — trained hard and played harder. Despite being a forward, he ran tirelessly to defend for his team,” he added.

Surrounded by positivity

It was this never-say-die spirit along with the support and motivation provided by his family that helped Sukhjeet start from scratch again.

“When I saw him at the airport that day, I had to fight back tears,” said Ajit. “I could not let him see me cry. I was done with the negativity. For months, when he was in hospital, we spoke on the phone. I became very weak during that time because of the tension, and he found out. So, while I was trying to lift his mood, he would tell me ‘everything would be alright’. That is who my son is — kind-hearted and unselfish,” Ajit said with a proud laugh.

“So, at the airport I made sure I met him with a smile. From then on, we tried to surround him with positivity. I got him the best treatment I could afford, and I would personally give him massages. Every day, I told him that ‘you will play for India one day’,” he added.

It took four years for that opportunity to come, when a string of consistent performances on the national circuit got Sukhjeet a call-back to the India camp in 2022. Sukhjeet grabbed his second chance with both hands, scoring on his debut for India; and he never looked back. Last year, he made his World Cup debut before going on to win the Asian Games gold.

“It’s been a long journey to this stage, with so many roadblocks that I had doubts whether I would play hockey again at times,” Sukhjeet said. “But my family’s support and their faith in me pushed me to never give up on my dreams. My father in particular was my greatest support. Playing my first Olympics, I am truly excited and all that remains now is to give it my all on the pitch,” he added.