National Sports Day: Pune Hockey Legends Honoured

Pune, 29th August, 2024: On the occasion of National Sports Day, four distinguished hockey players were honored for their significant contributions to the sport. Former international player and Chhatrapati Awardee, Ramesh Pillay, along with three former national players—Vijay Sardar, Munaf Shaikh, and Gurmeet Singh—were recognized for their enduring influence on the game.

Incidentally, three of the four honorees are Pune-born athletes who represented Maharashtra with distinction during their playing careers, while one – Vijay Sardar hails from Kolhapur. The awards were presented in a ceremony commemorating the 119th birth anniversary of hockey legend Dhyan Chand.

The event took place at the Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, Balewadi, Mhalunge, and was organized by the Directorate of Sports and Youth Services, Maharashtra State Pune, in collaboration with Hockey Maharashtra and the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation.

Ramesh Pillay, the most experienced of the group, has had an illustrious career. Born in Khadki Bazaar, Ramesh’s journey was supported by coach M Anthony and his parents, with his skills honed on the Ammunition Factory, Khadki (AFK) ground.

A “been there, done that” player, Ramesh represented India in the 4-Nation Hockey Tournament in Amsterdam in 1985-86, a highlight of his playing career. He was a regular on the Maharashtra Junior team from 1978-82 and was a standby for the Junior World Cup in 1982, the same year he was called up for the West Zone selection trials for the Asian Games.

Among the awards Ramesh won in his playing career, the National gold in 1987-88 at Gwalior stands out, along with a Silver at the 1995 National Games. His venture into coaching was also successful, guiding Mumbai to a bronze at the 2010 Senior Nationals. Post his playing days, Ramesh served as the trainer for the Maratha Warriors, a Premier Hockey League (PHL) team, and also took on dual roles as a player-cum-coach at RCF, Mumbai (1986-2026). Even after retiring as a player, he continues to hold a coaching position at RCF.

The day also marked the launch of an ambitious all-state venture initiated by Hockey Maharashtra. This includes a scouting program targeting schools under the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) and Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), with plans to expand it state-wide in future with a view of the Olympics in future. The initiative aims to develop a strong pipeline of hockey talent from Maharashtra, with the goal of having more state players represent India at various levels. The vision is to transform Maharashtra into a powerhouse in Indian hockey, surpassing the legacy of the 40-odd Olympians that the state has produced to date.

The function was graced by Dr. Rajesh Deshmukh, Commissioner, Sports and Youth Services, Maharashtra State, Pune, who expressed his support to supporting talent development and scouting and aiding the sport of hockey.

The event was presided over by Krishna Prakash, IPS, ADG Force One Maharashtra Police and President of Hockey Maharashtra.

The chief guests included Sudhir More, Joint Director, Sports and Youth Services, Maharashtra State; Uday Joshi, Deputy Director, Sports and Youth Services, Maharashtra State; Pankaj Patil, Assistant Commissioner of Sports, PCMC; Sanjay Sabnis, Deputy Director, Sports and Youth Services, Maharashtra State; Suhas Patil, Deputy Director, Sports and Youth Services, Maharashtra State; and Anita Kedari, Sports Officer, PCMC.

Special Guests of Honor included Olympian Rahul Singh, Tokyo Olympian Bronze Medalist Surendra Kumar, Olympian Vikram Pillay, Olympian Devinder Walmiki, and internationals Yuvraj Walmiki and Akash Chikte.

This day of celebration highlighted the lasting impact of these athletes on Indian hockey, honoring their dedication and the pride they brought to Pune and Maharashtra.