The plight of Indian Hockey players

Here are three stories that will tell about the plight of the players of the Indian Hockey Team. Its pity that the players who play national games have to go through this…..

A 15 year old player of women team Pritam Rani finally got a scholarship. Young player of the tournament winner in Champions Challenge tournament held in Russia last year got a sponsor of Rs. 4000 every month for the period of one year from Field Turf Tarkett India. She comes from a poor family with her father working as a cart puller in Haryana. She had also played a vital role in helping India to win silver medal in the Asia Cup last year. It is pity that the players who represent the national team are just ready to enter the contract for the sponsorship deal worth Rs. 4000 per month.

This is taken from an interview where Sandeep Singh tells about his plight when he was injured by the bullet.

It looks you have some bad memories of the injury?

Certainly yes. We were then living in a rented house (Recently, I started building my own house). But that time I waited government to help me. All the monies with my elder brother (Bikramjit Singh, 2001 Jr. World Cup player) and with my family were spent on me. When I was in hospital, I don’t even know whether I will survive or not. But our house owner in Shahbad asked our family to vacate the house and we had to. I remember those days even now. I felt very bad. This country is so big but it did not offer me help when I needed it. I have not got injured on my personal trip, but when I was traveling to join the World Cup team. Even if a child falls in tube well pit, like in the case of Prince, everyone comes forward and extend support. Why did I not get anything? Why was I ignored? I can never forget those days in my life. Now because I have come back people talk about me, if not what would have happened to my career? I would have been finished.

And then there is Amit Prabhakar who represented India in SAZ 2010

In a family headed by his mother, Kusum, 18-year-old Amit is the eldest of four siblings. When he was two, his father began working at the mess at the Guru Govind Singh Sports College, on the outskirts of the city. Since then, the family has been living in a small hut on the college campus.

Amit’s first hockey stick was a gift from one of the college coaches. His father dreamt that Amit would play for India, but today he isn’t around to celebrate. He died of kidney failure last year because the family couldn’t afford a transplant.

Kusum is the sole breadwinner, earning Rs 1500 a month, doing odd jobs at the hostel mess. As a mother, she was worried about her son travelling to Malaysia. “How will he be able to travel in an aircraft? He has never been in an air-conditioned train,” she asked.

These three stories tell about how these players who cannot afford a basic living are playing hockey for the nation. And what do they get back……..