Meet Real Life Kabir Khan, Harendra Singh. The Coach Behind India’s Junior World Cup Victory

Life doesn’t offer a second chance very often. But if it does, you have to grab it with both hands and make the most of it. The coach of the Indian junior hockey team, Harendra Singh knew this and he left no stone unturned in helping the group of boys he nurtured to become world champions, an honour he couldn’t earn as a player.

Harendra’s story is somewhat similar to that of Kabir Khan in the movie ‘Chak De India!’ After being dropped from the national side, he decided to coach fresh talent in 1998. So when the Indian team lifted the 2016 Junior Hockey World Cup, there was no one happier than him.

“I told myself that day that I may never be an Olympian, but I will nurture Olympians and world champions the country will be proud of. I’ve never seen the Indian tricolour fly high at a World Cup. I want to see it this time.”

 

When Harendra was appointed the mentor of the junior hockey side in April 2014, he had a mammoth task of selecting the best 18 who would represent the nation at the prestigious event and bring the trophy home. He began with a short speech saying, 

“Let’s be a team. Let’s help each other in getting for what we’ve all assembled here. We’ll not stop before we win the next World Cup.”

 

The Indian team went onward and upwards since Harendra took the job. They won the Junior Asia Cup last year and also a four-nation tournament in Spain. A podium finish was expected from the team, but they ended a 15 year long wait by winning the title in Lucknow. A humble Harendra said,

“I have not gone back from Lucknow empty-handed during my playing career. And I knew it from the word go that we’re going to lift this trophy. But more than my belief, the entire credit goes to my 18 boys who have stood with me during these two-and-a-half years.”

 

You can tell how important the victory was for every member of the team by just looking at this picture of the captain, Harjeet Singh.

Sure, it was the players on the field who won the trophy for the nation. But Harendra’s valuable contribution towards the win can not be forgotten, as it was him who hand-picked these players and trained them to face the best in the world and get the better of them. A player who was once not considered good enough to play in the national side has today brought glory to the nation. Let’s hope that this win brings even brighter days for Indian hockey.

News Source: Times Of India, DNA

Cover Image Source: 1, 2