In the limelight for his sensational hat-trick towards South Africa, younger drag-flicker Jugraj Singh says his India debut on the FIH Hockey Pro League has been an emotional expertise and he is able to put within the arduous yards to get higher as a participant .
The 26-year-old from Amritsar made his International debut towards France throughout the FIH Hockey Pro League matches in South Africa final week.
“Making my debut in an important event like FIH Hockey Pro League was definitely an emotional moment for me and getting a hat-trick only in my second game for India (against South Africa) was very special,” he stated in a launch issued by Hockey India.
“It’s amazing how much support I have received from the entire team and I believe there is a lot for me to learn from each of their experiences.”
Olympic bronze medalists India had a profitable outing the place they gained 5-0 towards France, beat South Africa 10-2 in each matches and misplaced 2-5 to France.
“We created quite a lot of match situations once we educated in SAI, Bengaluru however to truly play towards an actual opponent is kind of completely different. How we have to overcome the success or defeat in a sport and rapidly transfer on to the subsequent one. This was some of the vital issues I discovered throughout this outing,” Jugraj stated.
Coming from a humble background, Jugraj has battled many challenges in his journey to develop into an India participant.
His father labored for every day wages as a ‘coolie’ on the border in Attari. The youngest of 5 siblings, Jugraj is the one one within the household to decide on sports activities as a profession and it was solely after he shifted to a sports activities hostel at a younger age of 11 that his life began to vary.
He went on to earn a job within the Indian Navy from the place his profession took form, taking part in home matches.
“There has been quite a lot of wrestle and arduous work to get until right here and I’m ready to work more durable to make a spot within the workforce. My father was a coolie on the border, and it was actually robust for him to handle all the pieces,” he stated.
“I began taking part in hockey on the age of six. I used to play with my associates within the village, then I obtained to learn about Baba Uttam Singh National Hockey Academy in Khadur Sahib, the place all the pieces was supplied freed from price, from hockey to research to meals to all the pieces.
“I felt this might help me improve my life. I thought if not sports, then at least a good qualification would help get a respectable job.”
At the Khadur Sahib hostel, Jugraj honed his abilities beneath coach Balkar Singh. After some years, he obtained an internship on the Punjab National Bank (PNB) in Delhi and performed in numerous tournaments for nearly three years.
Then, in 2016, he obtained a job on the Indian Navy, which modified the course of his life.
“Hockey has changed my life since the day I took up that hockey stick. It has really uplifted my family’s financial conditions,” he stated.
Jugraj plied his commerce for the Services Sports Control Board within the home circuit.
During Services Sports Control Board’s gold medal-winning marketing campaign on the tenth Hockey India Senior Men National Championship 2020 (A division), Jugraj was awarded the Best Player of the Tournament for his efficiency.
He earned his maiden call-up for the nationwide camp this yr after taking part in within the 1st Hockey India Senior Men Inter-Department National Championship 2021.
“This tournament for departments was organized for the first time, and I got selected for the camp. I feel very lucky and it is a great initiative by Hockey India, it has opened gates for players like me,” he signed off.
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
