Indian Hockey Team Players Dangling on Social Media

Hockey is our national game, but it’s heartbreaking to see that our Indian Hockey Team Players aren’t as famous as cricketers or football players. These players might not be big on social media like the usual influencers, but trust me, they are making a massive impact in real life. They represent our country at global games, compete in world tournaments, and bring pride to India. They are working hard, improving daily, and slowly making their mark and influence on social media. They’re putting in the effort but need your support to rise even higher.

Let’s back them up and show these Indian Hockey Team Players they matter as much as any other sports-star!

Hardik Singh – A Midfielder

Hardik Singh, born on September 23 1998, is an Indian field hockey player who plays midfield for the Indian national team. He grew up playing hockey in his village, Khusropur, under the guidance of his grandfather. Initially, he played as a defender, but he took hockey seriously in 2012 and joined the Punjab Institute of Sports Academy in Mohali. Later, he moved to the Surjit Hockey Academy in Jalandhar to further his training.

Hardik has achieved great success in his career, including winning a bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, a gold medal at the 2022 Asian Games, and a silver medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Hardik recently expressed his disappointment with the quality of the Hbronze medal he won at the Paris 2024 Olympics. He mentioned on the Oversharing With The Jhumroo podcast that he was told the medal had iron from the Eiffel Tower, and he jokingly questioned if that was true. He felt the medal’s quality didn’t live up to expectations. Besides his sports achievements, Hardik also worked as a brand ambassador for Punjab’s anti-drug campaign.

Hardik has 55K followers on Instagram, you can also follow him on X

Sukhjeet Singh – A Forward

Sukhjeet Singh is an Indian field hockey player who played for the Indian team that won a bronze medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics. He has been honoured with the prestigious Arjuna Award for his achievements. Sukhjeet played for India in the 2023 World Cup, scoring three goals. He also represented India in the 2022 Asian Games, helping the team win the gold medal.

Sukhjeet has been selected for the Indian squad in the 2023–24 Men’s FIH Pro League. In June 2024, he was chosen to be part of the Indian hockey team for the 2024 Paris Olympics, which will take place in July.

Sukhjeet has over 19K followers on Instagram.

Sanjay Rana – A Defender

Sanjay Rana, born on May 5, 2001, is the youngest Indian hockey player who plays defender. He is also one of the second drag flickers for the Indian team that won the gold medal at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou. Sanjay has been selected to represent India in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

In 2022, Sanjay was part of the Indian team that won the gold medal at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. In August 2023, he played for the Senior India team in the Champions Trophy in Chennai, India. He also represented India at the 4-Nations Men’s Invitational Tournament in Barcelona, Spain, in July 2023.

Sanjay debuted his Senior India in 2022 during the FIH Hockey Pro-League matches in London and Eindhoven in June and July. He also played for India in the Hockey5s event at the Hero FIH Hockey5s in Lausanne, Switzerland, in June 2022.

Harjeet Singh – A Midfielder

Harjeet Singh, born on February 11 1996, is an Indian professional field hockey player and midfielder. He was the captain of the Indian team at the 2016 Men’s Hockey Junior World Cup, where the team remained unbeaten and won the gold medal.

Harjeet has played for teams like Uttar Pradesh Wizards and Delhi Waveriders in the Hockey India League. In July 2019, he joined the Dutch club HGC in the Hoofdklasse league and played there for one season.

Harjeet has over 56K followers on Instagram.

Manpreet Singh Pawar – A Halfback

Manpreet Singh Pawar, born June 26, 1992, is an Indian field hockey player from Punjab who has played in four Olympic Games. He was born in the village of Mithapur near Jalandhar, which is known for producing many Indian hockey stars. Manpreet started playing hockey young, leading the Indian team to a bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. He plays as a halfback.

He first played for the Indian team in 2011 when he was just 19 years old. Manpreet also represented India at the 2012 Summer Olympics and was named Asia’s Junior Player of the Year in 2014. He was part of the Indian squad for the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Manpreet tops the list with over 336K followers on Instagram.

Krishan Bahadur Pathak – A Goalkeeper

Krishan Bahadur Pathak, born on April 24 1997, is an Indian field hockey player who plays as a goalkeeper for the Indian national team. He was born in Kapurthala, Punjab, and comes from a Nepalese family. His parents moved from a village in Nepal to Punjab in 1990.

In January 2024, the President of India honoured Pathak with the prestigious Arjuna Award. He was the reserve goalkeeper for the Indian team at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where India won a bronze medal. Later, he helped India win the gold medal at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou.

Krishan has over 16K followers on Instagram and you can also follow him on X and Facebook.

Suraj Karkera – A Goalkeeper

Suraj Karkera, born on October 14 1995, is an Indian field hockey goalkeeper. He was born in Mumbai and attended the Children’s Academy in Malad. Suraj has a degree in commerce from Rizvi College.

He started his career with the Indian junior team in 2015 and became a regular player on many tours. The following year, he debuted for the senior team and was part of the squad, winning the 2017 Asia Cup gold medal. In 2021, Suraj was named the Goalkeeper of the Tournament at the Asian Champions Trophy, where his team won the bronze medal.

Suraj has over 7K followers on Instagram.

Amit Rohidas – A Defender

Amit Rohidas, born on May 10 1993, is an Indian field hockey player who plays as a defender. He has also served as the vice-captain of the Indian national team. Amit was part of the Indian team that won the bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, the gold medal at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, and another bronze at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Amit is also in the Indian men’s hockey team for the Paris 2024 Olympics. During a quarter-final match against Great Britain, he received a red card for swinging his hockey stick and hitting Will Calnan’s face. However, Hockey India appealed, stating that Amit did not mean to hit Calnan with his stick.

Amit has over 36K followers on Instagram, 7.6K on Facebook and you can also follow him on X.

Let’s celebrate these Indian Hockey Team Players and their hard-earned achievements for our nation. It’s important to remember that their success is not just about the medals they bring home but about the years of dedication, the sacrifices, and the love they have for their nation and sport.

Let’s support them, cheer them on, and show them the respect they deserve.