Each home in 'hockey village' has players

The clock strikes five in the evening and the usually deserted streets of Ghumanhera begin to flood with youngsters. Donning colourful jerseys with hockey sticks on their shoulders, the small army is headed for their daily practice.

Far from the city's hustle-bustle, located on the southwest Delhi border, the hamlet of Ghumanhera has a special bond with the national game and has been nurturing sportsmen for the last 25 years. Nearly every home in the village has members who have either played or are playing, hockey.

According to a rough estimate, nearly 2,000 Ghumanhera residents have played hockey at zonal, state, and national levels.

Baljeet Singh says: "We started training children in 1992. Initially, it was difficult for us."

Singh is a former national-level hockey player and is popular in the area as 'coach sir'. He says, "We had to convince parents to send their kids for practice. We had to buy the children shoes and hockey sticks to encourage them."

"Our children have played for the Indian Army, Navy, and Railways as well," says PK Jha, Principal of the Government Boys Senior Secondary School (GBSSS), Ghumanhera. The school has played a vital role in promoting the sport, not only among the villagers but also among people from the adjoining areas.

Recently, the Delhi government constructed an international-standard, artificial-turf hockey field at the GBSSS, motivating even more youngsters to play the sport. "As many as 10 students from private schools have taken admission in our school this year, just to practice on this field. We hope that more of our children get selected for national camps," Jha adds.

As the popularity of the game gradually diminishes, however, the desire to represent the country is also dying down. Still, forced by the lack of education and employment opportunities, hordes of children join the practise every year.

"Most parents were not happy about their children playing hockey after a certain age. But as they started getting admission in universities under the sports quota and jobs in Railways and Navy, more and more parents started encouraging their children to play," says Surendar Kumar, who is currently employed in the Indian Navy's mechanical department in Mumbai, and also plays for its hockey team.

According to Kumar, as many as seven members in the present Navy hockey team are from Ghumanhera. "They got employed in the Navy after being selected in its hockey team. Now, they are making their parents proud," he says.

"At present, nearly 18 girls from our village are also employed with the Railways and playing hockey for their respective teams," he adds.

So while the sport lives on, it has not been an easy journey, especially in view of the lack of funds. According to villagers, nearly 60 per cent of the population in the village can be described as poor. "The Delhi government has made a world-class field here but a lot more has to be done to train world-class players. People don't have money to give proper diet and equipment to their children. How can you expect them to compete with those coming from affluent backgrounds?" rues coach Singh.

Echoing the sentiment, Harendra Singh, former Indian hockey player and former coach of the World Cup-winning junior Indian hockey team, says: "Ghumanhera is the place from where you can select the entire Delhi team.

But the government has to provide the youngsters with world-class facilities, in addition to the field."

Back on the lush-green GBSSS ground, 18-year-old Monika is practicing. "I want to become a coach as our village has so many girls playing hockey but not even a single coach for them," she says as she skillfully drives the ball to the goal post.