Never, ever get into an argument with a fan of Indian hockey. So what if we won the cricket World Cup but we’re seven places away from the hockey World Cup? If someone’s a fan of Indian hockey, comparisons with Indian cricket are pointless. The hockey fan will admit to no such game as cricket. She or he will also fall about laughing – and derisively at that – if you suggest that she or he spends five long, tedious hours watching an India-Pakistan cricket match. Indo-Pak matches in hockey are finished in 70 minutes flat. If sports ‘heroism’ is about beating Pakistan, then Indians can seriously give our cricketers the blues. But what are these cool (er) men in blue about? We met them to find out.
The trouble with 2010 is that it’s last year. Four Indo-Pak wins, that’s wonderful, but they’re done. This is 2011 and once again it’s a tough, cruel, exciting and crucial year of mighty challenges. What’s past is over. What will happen – that’s the crucial question. But it’s this aspect of the game that makes hockey so exciting for its fans. Will their heroes continue to be heroic? Or will they be the cause of heart-felt moans? To judge by the utter lack of political correctness in their conversation, our hockey players are determined to remain heroes. “Whenever I play Pakistan, my aim is to beat them,” says forward Shivendra Singh.
You see that attitude even in the way they dress – they’re resolute, rugged, rustic in patches, convincingly retro-sexual and romantic about their success. Forward Rajpal Singh, midfielder Arjun Halappa, drag flicker VR Raghunath, forward Shivendra Singh, goalkeepers Adrian Joseph Dsouza and Bharat Chetri and defender Gurbaj Singh are chic in their own ways, glamorous in their own right. The seven senior players are responsible for the success the team has had over the last five years. Five of these senior players are representing the squad at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup currently being played in Ipoh. During the photo shoot for this story, Rajpal’s hand involuntarily moves to his moustache, his fingers pressing the ends for a commanding finish.
Arjun wears the captain’s all-is-well smile. Gurbaj, the unparalleled lieutenant, thrusts out his chest. Bharat, the great wall, conceals his cool self within a crisp Darjeeling smile. Shivendra poses like a pro, as though he’s a veteran of the modelling ramps. Raghunath, a gift from Coorg to Indian hockey, hugs his teammates tight. On the field, these men are passionate – about the game and about victory. You see that passion on their bodies too. True, tattoos hardly make news these days, but the ones our hockey players have are worth examination. For instance, the five Olympic rings float on ace goalkeeper Adrian Joseph DSouza’s back. For an Indian hockey player, a win at the Olympics is the biggest dream of all.
Adrian’s “very special” Olympic rings tattoo, inked on his back in 2006, keeps his fans on edge. His squad will have to face the Olympic qualifiers soon, to make it to the 2012 London event. Senior drag flicker and defender VR Raghunath’s tattoo is a pair of hockey sticks and a ball, etched on one arm. “There is another tattoo on my forearm that is not usually visible,” he says. “It’s my dad’s name. I am emotional about the fact that he is a committed hockey coach. I respect him for being a sportsman.” Bharat Chetri’s lion tattoo on his burly arm works well with his relaxed, laid-back approach to happiness. Shivendra Singh, the Gwalior Express, gives a whole new perspective to the word ‘commitment’.
While other men tattoo their significant others’ names on their bodies, Shivendra takes romance to a whole new level. On his right shoulder is inked not his fiancée’s name (she’s Nishi Chauhan, a hockey player with the Railways), but a portrait of his fiancée’s face. “I had it done in Salta, Argentina,” Shivendra says fondly. “Nishi was really upset. She thought it must have been painful. But she was very flattered too.” (hindustan times)
