At 21, Rajinder Singh is on the cusp of making his senior India debut in the upcoming two-match series against Germany at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium. The journey of this promising young talent began with a simple dream—to own a new hockey stick and train at the Namdhari Academy in Sirsa under the legendary former India captain, Sardar Singh.
Rajinder’s passion for the game was ignited after watching his cousin receive a new hockey stick at the Namdhari Academy. Eager to follow in his footsteps, Rajinder began training on the academy’s grass fields. “Every new player who came there used to get a new hockey stick. Seeing his stick, I also decided to go and start playing,” Rajinder recalled in an interview with PTI.
His turning point came during the COVID-19 pandemic. With much of the world in lockdown, Sardar Singh, who had guided India to gold at the 2014 Asian Games and the 2017 Asia Cup, was spending more time at the academy. This gave Rajinder the rare opportunity to train closely with one of India’s greatest midfielders. “During the Corona epidemic, he was mostly in the academy, so I spent a lot of time with him and had many sessions. I got to learn a lot there,” he said.
Rajinder, who scored the most goals in the Junior Academy National Championship in 2021, soon found himself in the junior national camp, and later, represented India at the Junior World Cup. His rapid rise, however, took him by surprise. “I did not think that I would get a chance in this Test series. I thought I would get a chance on the Europe tour. This was a surprise for me. Germany is a tough team. It will be fun to play against them,” he said ahead of his debut.
As Rajinder prepares to don the India jersey, he draws inspiration from both the late NBA star Kobe Bryant and Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma. Despite his newcomer status, Rajinder feels at home in the Indian team. “There is a very positive atmosphere in the team. Senior players teach a lot and give advice when you make a mistake. They praise you when you play well,” he said, highlighting the camaraderie within the squad.
Looking ahead, Rajinder has set his sights on a long-term goal: representing India at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Confident in the team’s potential, he believes they have the capability to bring home gold. “This team can win the gold medal in 2028. I will try my best to make a place in the team. For this, first, I have to play the Asian Games and World Cup and perform well,” he added.
With his debut on the horizon and big dreams in his heart, Rajinder Singh is ready to take the next step in his hockey journey, inspired by the guidance of Sardar Singh and the Namdhari Academy.
