Dhanraj Pillay
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Dhanraj Pillay (born 16 July 1968) is a retired Indian
field hockey Field hockey (or simply referred to as hockey in some countries where ice hockey is not popular) is a team sport structured in standard hockey format, in which each team plays with 11 players in total, made up of 10 field players and a goalk ...
player and former captain of the India national team. He also looks after the Air India Sports Promotion Board as a Joint Secretary based in Mumbai. For the last 5 years, Dhanraj is overseeing the SAG Hockey Academy in Gujarat funded by the Gujarat Government. He is widely regarded as one of the best Indian players of hockey. Pillay born to a
Tamil Tamil may refer to: People, culture and language * Tamils, an ethno-linguistic group native to India, Sri Lanka, and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka ** Myanmar or Burmese Tamils, Tamil people of Ind ...
family made his debut in 1989 with the national team and in a career spanning over 15 years, appeared for India in four
Olympic Games The modern Olympic Games (Olympics; ) are the world's preeminent international Olympic sports, sporting events. They feature summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a Multi-s ...
, World Cups and Champion Trophies each. He made 400 appearances for the national team and is recorded, unofficially, to have scored 170 goals. He also played for clubs in countries such as
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,
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
,
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and
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. Recognizing his achievements, he was awarded the
Padma Shri The Padma Shri (IAST: ''padma śrī'', lit. 'Lotus Honour'), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. In ...
by the government of India in 2000.


International career

Dhanraj Pillay, whose career spanned from December 1989 to August 2004, played 400 international matches. The Indian Hockey Federation did not keep official statistics for the goals scored. There is no credible information on the number of international goals scored by Dhanraj. He scored around 171 goals in his career, according to both him and leading statisticians in the world. He is the only player to have played in four Olympics (1992, 1996, 2000, and 2004), four World Cups (1990, 1994, 1998, and 2002), four Champions Trophies (1995, 1996, 2002, and 2003), and four Asian Games (1990, 1994, 1998, and 2002). India won the Asian Games (1998) and Asia Cup (2003) under his captaincy. He was also the highest goal scorer in the Bangkok Asian Games and was the only Indian player to figure in the World Eleven side during the 1994 World Cup in Sydney.


Club Hockey

He has also played for foreign clubs like the Indian Gymkhana (London), HC Lyon (France), BSN HC & Telekom Malaysia HC (Malaysia), Abahani Limited, HTC Stuttgart Kickers (Germany) and Khalsa Sports Club (Hong Kong). Towards the end of his career, Dhanraj played in the Premier Hockey League for the Maratha Warriors for two seasons. Dhanraj Pillay turned up for the Karnataka Lions in the World Series Hockey being played in India. He scored two goals for his team, captained by ex-India captain Arjun Halappa. He also played for Indian Airlines in Beighton Cup. He is currently the coach of the same team.


Awards

He is the recipient of India's highest sporting honour, the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award for the year 1999–2000. He was awarded the
Padma Shri The Padma Shri (IAST: ''padma śrī'', lit. 'Lotus Honour'), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. In ...
, a civilian award in 2001. He was the captain of the 1998 Asian Games and 2003 Asia Cup winning hockey team. He was awarded the player of the tournament award in the 2002 Champions trophy held at
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, Germany. In 2017, East Bengal Club conferred Pillay with Bharat Gaurav award.


Controversies

Dhanraj is often described as mercurial and has had his share of controversies. Time and again, he has vented this ire against the Hockey Management. He was not selected for the Indian team after the triumph at the Bangkok Asiad. The official reason given was that Dhanraj and 6 other senior players were rested. But it was largely seen as a retaliation for his outburst against the management for improper reception and non-payment of match fees. He protested against the low team stipend on overseas tours before the 1998 series against
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. On receipt of the Khel Ratna, Pillay commented, "The award will help erase some bitter memories". His plans to start a hockey academy at Mumbai have not taken off fully as Mumbai Hockey Association has refused to allow its astroturf facility to be used for training. He said that the academy will begin to function on October 1 but there are no signs of it right now.


Biography

Pillay's biography, ''Forgive Me Amma'', written by journalist Sundeep Misra, who tracked his career for over two decades, released in 2007.


References


External links

* https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/hockey-stars-to-run-academy-with-waste/articleshow/2122483427.cms for understanding from Indian point. *
Dhanraj Pillay's career statisticsBio
at dimdima.com

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pillay, Dhanraj 1968 births Living people Male field hockey forwards Olympic field hockey players for India Field hockey players at the 1990 Asian Games Field hockey players at the 1992 Summer Olympics Field hockey players at the 1994 Asian Games Field hockey players at the 1996 Summer Olympics Field hockey players at the 1998 Asian Games 1994 Men's Hockey World Cup players 1998 Men's Hockey World Cup players Field hockey players at the 2000 Summer Olympics Field hockey players at the 2002 Asian Games 2002 Men's Hockey World Cup players Field hockey players at the 2004 Summer Olympics Recipients of the Khel Ratna Award Recipients of the Padma Shri in sports Tamil sportspeople Field hockey players from Pune Recipients of the Arjuna Award Asian Games medalists in field hockey World Series Hockey players Indian male field hockey players Asian Games gold medalists for India Asian Games silver medalists for India Medalists at the 1990 Asian Games Medalists at the 1994 Asian Games Medalists at the 1998 Asian Games Medalists at the 2002 Asian Games 1990 Men's Hockey World Cup players