New Delhi [India], October 27 (ANI): For a long time, Indian hockey stood because the very definition of excellence on the worldwide stage. With a proud haul of 13 Olympic medals–eight of them Gold, a Silver, and 4 Bronze–India established itself as the game’s final powerhouse. Few have had a more in-depth view of this golden period than MM Somaya, who represented India in three consecutive Olympic Games — 1980, 1984, and 1988.
A member of the gold medal-winning group on the 1980 Moscow Olympics, Somaya additionally had the honour of captaining India on the 1988 Seoul Olympics, as per a press launch from Hockey India.
As India’s hockey fraternity comes collectively to have fun 100 years of the game’s organised construction within the nation, Somaya displays on this historic milestone not merely as a commemoration of medals and triumphs, however as a celebration of the numerous people and establishments which have nurtured the sport. For him, the centenary is as a lot in regards to the unseen contributors who laid the muse for Indian hockey’s success as it’s in regards to the gamers who carried the tricolour to international glory.
‘While we rightly have fun the gamers who introduced glory to the nation, I might dedicate these hundred years to the folks behind the scenes,’ Somaya stated. ‘From employers such because the Indian Railways, Armed Forces, Police, Banks, and Petroleum corporations to followers, who’ve stood by the sport by means of each excessive and low — have all helped create the ecosystem that sustains Indian hockey and so they absolutely deserve equal credit score.’
Having made his debut in an period that noticed the transition from pure grass to synthetic turf, Somaya skilled some of the defining shifts in hockey’s fashionable evolution. ‘I had by no means seen AstroTurf earlier than the Moscow Olympics. We needed to adapt immediately to a totally new floor that modified the tempo and ways of the sport. Over time, Indian hockey discovered to evolve — shifting focus from particular person brilliance to collective construction and technique.’
Further reflecting on his three Olympic appearances, Somaya recalled, ‘Playing in three Olympics was each an honour and a check of dedication. I didn’t have a lot competitors for the place I performed — I used to play as proper half — but it surely took a number of dedication and self-discipline. The assist I acquired from folks again dwelling and my pals actually pushed me to do effectively. My employers had been additionally very supportive as they gave me the liberty to practise as a lot as I needed. In these days, there was not any actual monetary profit in enjoying hockey — it was pure love for the game that stored us going. That love nonetheless drives me in the present day, whilst I proceed to observe the sport as a eager spectator.’
Somaya believes that the previous 15 years have been among the many most transformative in Indian hockey’s historical past. ‘We are actually enjoying a quicker, extra structured model of hockey. The presence of world-class coaches, scientific coaching, and robust academies in states like Punjab, Odisha, and Haryana have fully modified the face of the game,’ he stated.
Praising the present Indian males’s and girls’s groups, Somaya added, ‘The professionalism, health, and scientific strategy of in the present day’s gamers — from vitamin and restoration to tactical preparation — are world-class. The Tokyo Olympic bronze was not only a medal; it symbolised the resurgence of Indian hockey. This is a golden era in each sense.’
Looking forward, the previous captain underlined the necessity for a sturdy expertise pipeline to maintain India’s success over the subsequent century. ‘We should begin early — with structured packages from under-12 to under-21. The improvement squad and India A groups are glorious initiatives. If we proceed to coach younger gamers scientifically and expose them to world-class competitors, India will stay among the many international elite for years to return.’
As Indian hockey marks 100 years of existence, Somaya’s reflections seize each the nostalgia of the previous and optimism for the longer term.’This centenary is not only about celebrating the champions who wore the India jersey. Still, it’s a tribute to each unseen contributor — directors, employers, coaches, and followers — who’ve stored the spirit of Indian hockey alive for 100 years,’ he concluded. (ANI)