New Delhi: Indian hockey forward Mandeep Singh might not have acquired a cult figure like his skipper Harmanpreet Singh or former captain Manpreet Singh but when he is on the prowl upfront, rival defenders dare not take him lightly.
With the 29-year-old prolific goal-getter set to be a vital cog in India’s campaign at the Paris Olympics, after being a part of the team that won bronze at the Tokyo Games, his sister Bhupinderjeet Kaur says Mandeep’s obsession with hockey has only grown over the years, so much so that if he stays away from the national camp for even a few days, he becomes restless.
“He was so crazy about playing hockey that he would come home from school, skip meals, and head straight to practice. As Mandeep grew older, his commitment only deepened.
“Even now, whenever I talk to him during a break, he says he has fun at home but starts missing the camp after 15 days,” Kaur said in an episode of ‘Hockey Te Charcha’, highlighting her brother’s passion for the sport.
Mandeep’s blinder against Belgium in the semifinal at the Tokyo Olympics and his speed left the rivals confused but the Red Lions regrouped to beat India 5-2 to end their hopes of a gold medal.
India, though, returned with a bronze, making every player a national hero. But Kaur says, Mandeep just doesn’t want to be in the limelight.
“He prefers to be seen as a simple boy rather than a star,” said Kaur.
Recalling the celebrations at home when India won the bronze medal in Tokyo beating Germany, Kaur said it filled everyone with pride.
“We were all watching it on TV. Mandeep looked up with tears in his eyes, having a silent moment to himself. At home, everyone was praying, fingers crossed, hoping for victory. When we finally won, it felt like we had achieved something monumental. The atmosphere at home was electric with joy and pride,” she said.
Mandeep’s prolific goal-scoring has seen him being a part of several successful campaigns, including the Junior World Cup title triumph in Lucknow in 2016, Asia Cup gold in 2017, Asian Champions Trophy titles in 2018 and 2023, Commonwealth Games silver in 2022 Birmingham and the Hangzhou Asian Games gold in 2023, which helped India qualify automatically for Paris.
Kaur herself has forged a bond with the entire India team and she says all the players respect her and she wants them to return from Paris a successful bunch.
“Once Harmanpreet asked where his rakhi was, and from then on, I started sending it to all of them (players). They call me their sister, and I feel the same way.”
She is confident India will come back with a gold medal from Paris.
“The team has become so perfect that they will win and bring (home) the gold,” she said.
