Sardara singh
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Donning national colours
At age 20, Mr Pillay was the youngest of 50 players to be picked for the India camp. It was the prelude to his selection for the national team. “I was selected to play at the 1989 Alwyn Asia Cup in Delhi, my international debut, where India won silver,” he says. “It was an honour to represent my country. Before long, I was rubbing shoulders with the legends of Indian hockey, like Pargat Singh, Jude Felix, Mark Patterson, etc.”
Receiving his first national jersey was an emotional moment for him. But his brother, Ramesh, reminded him of the responsibility it entailed. “He told me that to represent your country is very easy, but to sustain your position for a long period takes a lot of hard work and sacrifice.”
His brother’s advice helped Mr Pillay withstand the pressures of living in the spotlight. While his exploits on the field were marked with victories and defeats alike, Mr Pillay never let it mar the dignity of the flag he played for. “We won’t alw
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Dhanraj Pillay (born 16 July 1968) is a retired Indian field hockey player and former captain of the Indian national team.He is a member of the ad hoc committee of Indian Hockey Federation, formed after the suspension of Kanwar Pal Singh Gill. As a player, he is regarded one of India's best ever.
He is the only player to have played in four Olympics (1992, 1996, 2000, and 2004), four World Cups (1990, 1994, 1998, and 2002), four Champions Trophies (1995, 1996, 2002, and 2003), and four Asian Games (1990, 1994, 1998, and 2002). India won the Asian Games (1998) and Asia Cup (2003) under his captaincy. He was also the highest goal scorer in the Bangkok Asian Games and was the only Indian player to figure in the World Eleven side during the 1994 World Cup at Sydney. He also played for clubs in countries such as Malaysia, France, England and Germany.Recognizing his achievements, he was awarded the Padma Shri by the government of India in 2000.
He is the recipient of India's highest sporting honour, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award for the year 1999–2000. He was a
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Dhanraj Pillay
Indian field hockey player
Dhanraj Pillay (born 16 July 1968) is a retired Indian field hockey player and former captain of the India national team. He also looks after the Air India Sports Promotion Board as a Joint Secretary based in Mumbai. For the last 5 years, Dhanraj is overseeing the SAG Hockey Academy in Gujarat funded by the Gujarat Government. He is widely regarded as one of the best Indian players of hockey.[2]
Pillay born to a Tamil family made his debut in 1989 with the national team and in a career spanning over 15 years, appeared for India in four Olympic Games, World Cups and Champion Trophies each. He made 400 appearances for the national team and is recorded, unofficially, to have scored 170 goals.[3] He also played for clubs in countries such as Malaysia, France, England and Germany.[4] Recognizing his achievements, he was awarded the Padma Shri by the government of India in 2000.
International career
Dhanraj Pillay, whose career spanned from December 1989 to August 2004, played 400 international mat
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