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Chak de India! Glimpses from Indian hockey legend Dhanraj Pillay's life on his 48th birthday

It would be fitting to say that Padma Shri Dhanraj Pillay's name is synonymous with Indian hockey. A look back into his life.
It would be fitting to say that Padma Shri Dhanraj Pillay's name is synonymous with Indian hockey. The 48-year-old former captain of the Indian national team and current team manager has made several remarkable achievements in his fifteen-year-long career
It would be fitting to say that Padma Shri Dhanraj Pillay's name is synonymous with Indian hockey. The 48-year-old former captain of the Indian national team and current team manager has made several remarkable achievements in his fifteen-year-long career
Online Desk
Updated on: 
2 min read
Padma Shri Dhanraj Pillay is the only Indian to have played in 4 Olympics, 4 World Cups, 4 Champions Trophy and 4 Asian Games. In total, he played 339 international matches. He scored around 170 goals in his career. Under his captaincy, India won the 1998 Asian Games and the 2003 World Cup, establishing a new record in the history of Indian hockey. IN PICTURE: girl welcomes former hockey captain Dhanraj Pillay during a National Conference on Physical Education and Sports for a Healthy India at Yashwantrao Chavan College of Science in Karad, Maharashtra. (Photo | PTI)
Padma Shri Dhanraj Pillay is the only Indian to have played in 4 Olympics, 4 World Cups, 4 Champions Trophy and 4 Asian Games. In total, he played 339 international matches. He scored around 170 goals in his career. Under his captaincy, India won the 1998 Asian Games and the 2003 World Cup, establishing a new record in the history of Indian hockey. IN PICTURE: girl welcomes former hockey captain Dhanraj Pillay during a National Conference on Physical Education and Sports for a Healthy India at Yashwantrao Chavan College of Science in Karad, Maharashtra. (Photo | PTI)
Dhanraj Pillay was born in Khadki, Pune to Tamil parents, Nagalingam Pillay and Andalamma. He used to spend his time playing hockey with broken sticks, fixed with gum and sutli (gunny-sack strings). He played the sport in the Ordinance Factory staff colony where his father was a groundsman. IN PICTURE: Hockey Caption Dhanraj Pillay playing at the inauguration of Jude Felix Hockey Academy for training the children of St Marys orphanage and under privileged children from the neighbourhood of Cooke Town, Bangalore. (Photo: Suresh Nampoothiri| Express Photo Service)
Dhanraj Pillay was born in Khadki, Pune to Tamil parents, Nagalingam Pillay and Andalamma. He used to spend his time playing hockey with broken sticks, fixed with gum and sutli (gunny-sack strings). He played the sport in the Ordinance Factory staff colony where his father was a groundsman. IN PICTURE: Hockey Caption Dhanraj Pillay playing at the inauguration of Jude Felix Hockey Academy for training the children of St Marys orphanage and under privileged children from the neighbourhood of Cooke Town, Bangalore. (Photo: Suresh Nampoothiri| Express Photo Service)
Dhanraj Pillay moved to Mumbai from Pune in his adult life. While it is widely believed that he moved to Mumbai after being asked by his brother, the real reason was that he moved to Mumbai to live with his brother in fear of the police. In Khadki, Dhanraj Pillay once landed in a fight and was afraid that the police might track him down. His mercurial temperament would bring its fair share of controversies in his later life, off and on court. (Photo | Agencies)
Dhanraj Pillay moved to Mumbai from Pune in his adult life. While it is widely believed that he moved to Mumbai after being asked by his brother, the real reason was that he moved to Mumbai to live with his brother in fear of the police. In Khadki, Dhanraj Pillay once landed in a fight and was afraid that the police might track him down. His mercurial temperament would bring its fair share of controversies in his later life, off and on court. (Photo | Agencies)
The legend hails from a family which claims to have connections with the famous Marudavanam Pillay, a contemporary of Dhyan Chand, one of the greatest Indian hockey players the world has seen. IN PICTURE: Dhanraj Pillay hits a ball during a charity cricket match between Bollywood actors and cricketers in New Delhi, February 2, 2004. The charity match was organised for the benefit of NGO Khushi (Photo | AFP)
The legend hails from a family which claims to have connections with the famous Marudavanam Pillay, a contemporary of Dhyan Chand, one of the greatest Indian hockey players the world has seen. IN PICTURE: Dhanraj Pillay hits a ball during a charity cricket match between Bollywood actors and cricketers in New Delhi, February 2, 2004. The charity match was organised for the benefit of NGO Khushi (Photo | AFP)
Pillay has courted trouble by venting his ire against the Hockey Management, from time to time. His name was dropped from the Afro-Asian Games list, despite his dream run at the 1998 Bangkok Asiad. The official reason given was that Dhanraj and six other players were being 'rested', in view of other major engagements ahead. But it was largely understood as a retaliation for his outburst against the management. Like many hockey stars, Dhanraj feels that the game and the players have not been adequately rewarded for their efforts. He protested against the low team stipend on overseas tours before the 1998 series against Pakistan. On receipt of the country's highest sporting honour, the Bharat Khel Ratna Award, Pillay commented, 'The award will help erase some bitter memories'. IN PICTURE: Dhanraj Pillay playing a round of charity cricket. (Photo | AFP)
Pillay has courted trouble by venting his ire against the Hockey Management, from time to time. His name was dropped from the Afro-Asian Games list, despite his dream run at the 1998 Bangkok Asiad. The official reason given was that Dhanraj and six other players were being 'rested', in view of other major engagements ahead. But it was largely understood as a retaliation for his outburst against the management. Like many hockey stars, Dhanraj feels that the game and the players have not been adequately rewarded for their efforts. He protested against the low team stipend on overseas tours before the 1998 series against Pakistan. On receipt of the country's highest sporting honour, the Bharat Khel Ratna Award, Pillay commented, 'The award will help erase some bitter memories'. IN PICTURE: Dhanraj Pillay playing a round of charity cricket. (Photo | AFP)
Following the euphoria post the 1998 Asian Games at Bangkok, where the Indian hockey team got a gold medal after 32 years, Dhanraj's pronouncements and tantrums at the airport on arrival projected him in poor light. In fact, there were moments when it was feared that Dhanraj would quit the scene. He went on television with a critical remark of not wanting to see any of his offspring in the field of hockey. IN PICTURE: Former Indian Cricket Caption Rahul Dravid and Dhanraj Pillay at the inauguration of Jude Felix Hockey Academy for training the children of St Marys orphanage and under privileged children from the neighbourhood at Cooke Town, Bangalore. (Photo: Suresh Nampoothiri | Express Photo Service)
Following the euphoria post the 1998 Asian Games at Bangkok, where the Indian hockey team got a gold medal after 32 years, Dhanraj's pronouncements and tantrums at the airport on arrival projected him in poor light. In fact, there were moments when it was feared that Dhanraj would quit the scene. He went on television with a critical remark of not wanting to see any of his offspring in the field of hockey. IN PICTURE: Former Indian Cricket Caption Rahul Dravid and Dhanraj Pillay at the inauguration of Jude Felix Hockey Academy for training the children of St Marys orphanage and under privileged children from the neighbourhood at Cooke Town, Bangalore. (Photo: Suresh Nampoothiri | Express Photo Service)
In his last game for India in 2004 Athens Olympics, Pillay was given a playing time of just two minutes and 55 seconds by the then coach Gerhard Rach. This is considered to be as the worst sendoff given to a player of his calibre. Rach and Pillay never got along. After a series of issues, Rach was eventually sacked in January 2005. Interestingly, Rach had spent eight months in jail for fraud and tax evasion amounting to 15 million Deutsche Marks. (Photo: Shiba Prasad Sahu | Express Photo Service)
In his last game for India in 2004 Athens Olympics, Pillay was given a playing time of just two minutes and 55 seconds by the then coach Gerhard Rach. This is considered to be as the worst sendoff given to a player of his calibre. Rach and Pillay never got along. After a series of issues, Rach was eventually sacked in January 2005. Interestingly, Rach had spent eight months in jail for fraud and tax evasion amounting to 15 million Deutsche Marks. (Photo: Shiba Prasad Sahu | Express Photo Service)
Pillay has a great fan following in Malaysia as well and is always mobbed by fans when he is in Malaysia. At club level, he has played in many cities, including in Malaysia for BSN HC & Telekom Malaysia HC, for Abahani Limited. IN PICTURE: Pillay with Argentine field hockey player., Gonzalo Peillat. (Photo | Gonzalo Peillat@Twitter)
Pillay has a great fan following in Malaysia as well and is always mobbed by fans when he is in Malaysia. At club level, he has played in many cities, including in Malaysia for BSN HC & Telekom Malaysia HC, for Abahani Limited. IN PICTURE: Pillay with Argentine field hockey player., Gonzalo Peillat. (Photo | Gonzalo Peillat@Twitter)
Pillay is trying to start a hockey academy at Mumbai. To raise funds for his academy, he headed a drive to collect empty plastic printer cartridges in Mumbai and sell them to a European recycling firm. However, the Mumbai Hockey Association has refused to allow its astroturf facility to be used for training. IN PICTURE: Indian hockey player Dhanraj Pillay, Police commissioner Paramveer Singh and actor Milind Soman participating in the Winter Half Marathon 2016 in Thane, Mumbai (Photo | PTI)
Pillay is trying to start a hockey academy at Mumbai. To raise funds for his academy, he headed a drive to collect empty plastic printer cartridges in Mumbai and sell them to a European recycling firm. However, the Mumbai Hockey Association has refused to allow its astroturf facility to be used for training. IN PICTURE: Indian hockey player Dhanraj Pillay, Police commissioner Paramveer Singh and actor Milind Soman participating in the Winter Half Marathon 2016 in Thane, Mumbai (Photo | PTI)
Pillay's biography titled 'Forgive Me Amma', written by journalist Sundeep Misra, who tracked his career for over two decades, was released in 2007. “Amma, I have failed you, Amma. Three Olympics I have played and I couldn’t get a medal back… Amma, forgive me, I have failed”, says the blurb at the back. Pillay always talks about his deep regret at never having managed to win a medal at the Olympics, but believes that the current national team, whom he manages, can break a 36-year jinx. IN PICTURE: Dhanraj Pillay with Pakistani cricketing legend Wasim Akram (left) and Hind actor Suniel Shetty (right). (Photo | Nagesh Polai | Express Photo Service)
Pillay's biography titled 'Forgive Me Amma', written by journalist Sundeep Misra, who tracked his career for over two decades, was released in 2007. “Amma, I have failed you, Amma. Three Olympics I have played and I couldn’t get a medal back… Amma, forgive me, I have failed”, says the blurb at the back. Pillay always talks about his deep regret at never having managed to win a medal at the Olympics, but believes that the current national team, whom he manages, can break a 36-year jinx. IN PICTURE: Dhanraj Pillay with Pakistani cricketing legend Wasim Akram (left) and Hind actor Suniel Shetty (right). (Photo | Nagesh Polai | Express Photo Service)
Always known as a confident player on and off the field, Dhanraj, surprisingly refused to take a penalty stroke in the finals of the 1998 Asian Games as he was not feeling comfortable.5. In the same match, goalkeeper Ashish Ballal had been dropped after a disastrous first half but on Dhanraj’s nod he once again took his place between the sticks for the penalty strokes. Ashish Ballal then went to save crucial penalty strokes to give India a memorable victory after 32 years. After the match ended, Dhanraj went straight to Ashish and asked, “Ab to maaf kiya na tune?” (Hope you have forgiven me now?) referring to the incident where he was instrumental in getting Ashish Ballal dropped for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics squad. IN PICTURE: Bollywood actor Rahul Bose, (left) and former Indian hockey player Dhanraj Pillay, (right) cheer athletes and others participating in the Sunfeast World 10K Bangalore men run in Bangalore. The Sunfeast World 10K event had six races with total prize money of USD$ 150,000, making it the richest 10 kilometer run according to the organizers. (Photo | AP)
Always known as a confident player on and off the field, Dhanraj, surprisingly refused to take a penalty stroke in the finals of the 1998 Asian Games as he was not feeling comfortable.5. In the same match, goalkeeper Ashish Ballal had been dropped after a disastrous first half but on Dhanraj’s nod he once again took his place between the sticks for the penalty strokes. Ashish Ballal then went to save crucial penalty strokes to give India a memorable victory after 32 years. After the match ended, Dhanraj went straight to Ashish and asked, “Ab to maaf kiya na tune?” (Hope you have forgiven me now?) referring to the incident where he was instrumental in getting Ashish Ballal dropped for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics squad. IN PICTURE: Bollywood actor Rahul Bose, (left) and former Indian hockey player Dhanraj Pillay, (right) cheer athletes and others participating in the Sunfeast World 10K Bangalore men run in Bangalore. The Sunfeast World 10K event had six races with total prize money of USD$ 150,000, making it the richest 10 kilometer run according to the organizers. (Photo | AP)
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