Bhubaneswar: India’s first target should be to reach the semifinals of the Tokyo Olympics. Then India can aspire to win a medal,” said former India players Ashok Kumar and Gurbux Singh. They were speaking in a panel discussion organised by ‘Signature 24 Productions’ in association with Orissa POST. The discussion was taking place on the first anniversary of the first-ever digital campaign launched demanding ‘Bharat Ratna’ for the iconic hockey player Dhyan Chand. The Tokyo Olympics scheduled to be held this year has been postponed to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The event hosted by popular actor Babushaan also saw Harbinder Singh and Yuvraj Walmiki taking part. Incidentally Harbinder and Gurbux were members of the Indian team that won gold at the Tokyo Olympics. Ashok on the other hand was a part of the team that won the World Cup under Ajitpal Singh.
Walmiki had not much to offer on Dhyan Chand. However, he said that during his tenure of eight years in the German Hockey League, people always referred to him as the ‘man from Dhyan Chand’s country’. It just goes to show how much the Dhyan Chand Sir was revered,” said Walmiki.
Gurbux called Dhyan Chand ‘the best-ever player India has ever produced’ while Harbinder said ‘he was a icon in the true sense’. Ashok on the other hand pointed out his dad never wanted him to play hockey. “Maybe that is because of the financial hardships he faced during his playing days,” said Ashok.
“I learnt by watching his skills, never got any formal coaching from him. Till the time, I won the World Cup gold medal, he never saw any of my other medals including the Olympic bronze,” he added.
Discussions also turned towards the Tokyo Olympics. Ashok was quick to point out that Indian coaches should stop speaking about podium finishes. “In the last 40 years we have not reached semifinals once. So let’s first make that target,” Ashok asserted. A point to which Gurbux agreed.
It should be stated here that India won their last hockey Olympic gold at Moscow in 1980. However many nations had boycotted the event due to their differences with Russia.
Harbinder on the other hand said that India’s medal at the Tokyo Olympics has suddenly suffered due to the postponement of the Games to 2021.
“India were in good form. They were beating top teams regularly. Had the Olympics not been postponed due to the pandemic, we were certainly medal contenders. Now however, the momentum has gone. I am doubtful about how India will fare next year,” Harbinder said.