The villages of Sansarpur, Mithapur, and Khusropur in Punjab, once renowned for producing Olympic hockey players, are reviving their legacy after decades of decline due to various reasons, including drug abuse in the region.
Sansarpur, Mithapur, and Khusropur — these are not just any villages in Punjab’s Jalandhar district. They have a storied history of producing world-class hockey players, legends who have represented their nations on the grand stage of the Olympics.
Sansarpur alone has gifted the world 14 Olympians — nine for India, four for Kenya, and one for Canada. For generations, young players dreaming of hockey greatness would be told to visit Sansarpur, where the magic of the sport runs deep in the soil. Yet, for a long time, that legacy seemed to wither.
Reasons like the drug menace gripping Punjab dimmed the flame, and the villages, once hallowed as cradles of hockey Olympians, fell silent. But in 2024, that silence was shattered.
After India secured a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics, the future appears bright once again for these “villages”, where hockey isn’t just a game — it’s in their blood. “We are proud of our villages,” said Mandeep Singh, 29.
He was among four players from these very villages who donned the Indian jersey in Paris. The others are Manpreet Singh, Hardik Rai, and Sukhjeet Singh.
“We wanted to win gold. But we could only win bronze this time,” Mandeep said. His voice, however, was far from defeatist. “We are inspired by what we received, and we will win gold in the next Olympics.” His determination is contagious. “We have hockey in our blood,” the sportsman declared.
Former Indian hockey captain Pargat Singh, a key figure in this resurgence, emphasised the importance of investing in sports infrastructure and nurturing young talent.
“The journey to becoming an Olympian has never been an easy one,” said Pargat, who captained India from 1987 to 1997 and played in the 1992 Barcelona and 1996 Atlanta Olympics. “The past of these villages was glorious, but what transpired in the past three decades ruined the spirit of the players,” he said, reflecting on the decline.
His words carry the weight of lost potential. “When a country invests time and resources in about 10,000 players, then we get one world-class player,” the hockey legend said.
India’s investment in hockey is a fraction of what countries like China spend. “We spend Rs 3-4 crore on hockey, whereas China spends over Rs 3,000 crore a year,” Pargat said. “The current Olympians are products of 2004-05. Continuity is what determines who will become an Olympian,” he declared.
As an MLA in the Punjab assembly, representing Jalandhar Cantonment constituency, Pargat has witnessed the challenges up close. “We do not have many grounds,” he said. Even Sansarpur, relies on a modest field for its players. “It’s hard to believe that the small lanes of Sansarpur have given us top-notch players,” Pargat said.
In these narrow streets, nearly every home has someone with a medal hanging proudly on the wall. There’s a game everywhere: the thud of the stick striking the ball, the goalie’s dive to stop the ball, and the collective shout of “goal” from players and spectators alike.
For these players, the real goal lies beyond. “The players have only one dream,” Pargat said. “To strike as many goals as possible and bring home the gold for India.”
He recalled how, during his time representing India in the Olympics, the team lacked a strong goalkeeper. “But now we have one, and we can say that our team is a promising one.”
Pargat’s vision extends beyond the sport itself. “When our grounds are full of players, our hospitals will carry less burden,” he said, noting the tragic reality of modern India.
“The tragedy of our country is that we have hospitals full and grounds empty. Once we reverse it, we’ll have grounds full and hospitals empty. That is the day we will become Olympians as a country,” he added.
The importance of sports goes beyond medals. “When players don’t go to the ground, their emotions remain stuck. Everyday issues build up inside, leading to depression or distress. That’s when they turn to drugs,” Pargat said. In his eyes, sports is more than just an activity. “Sports is the remedy,” he said.
In 2005, Pargat took direct action. Starting with just 45 students, he launched the Mithapur Hockey Academy. Today, it has grown to 125 players, including 25 girls, who train twice a day. “Back then, I was director of sports in Punjab. I chose 20 former Olympians and identified villages with promising players. We provided them with coaches and equipment, and by 2012, we had formed a supervisory committee of 425 former players, Olympians, and police personnel dedicated to sports,” he said.
There was a sports team in every district of Punjab, and the results are visible now. “The four players you see who won the Olympic medal this year are a result of the efforts of their families, their own hard work, and their decade-long dedication to the sport,” Pargat said. “Unfortunately, I became an MLA afterward. Back then, I could command directly when I was director of sports.”
As Mandeep Singh stood proudly, clad in his white turban, kissing his bronze medal, a visibly happy Pargat smiled. “Inspiration is contagious,” he said. “Because the current Olympians inspire the young players, we will see more players from these villages in years to come.”
With renewed inspiration, these villages are poised to produce more Olympians in the future.
The lead image on top depicts player Hardik Singh with Harmanpreet Singh during a match being played by India’s men’s hockey team. (Photo from Hardik Singh’s Instagram account)
Kumar Gaurav is a multilingual audio-visual journalist from Bihar.
