A major ingredient that goes into the making of a champion is how he overcomes hurdles in life. Most give up all too easily; some others fight and resign to their fate; only very few never accept defeat. Like hockey goalkeeper Baljit Singh.
A little more than a year ago, on a fateful evening in Pune, Baljit Singh confronted a twist in his destiny. A golf ball crashed into his right eye, damaging the retina, cornea and lens of his right eye. The golf ball not only ruptured the eye but also his dream of playing in the World Cup in New Delhi in 2010. The anguish, both mental and physical, could have easily drawn a lesser mortal to bouts of depression and pessimism.
But not Baljit, not when he underwent one surgery after another, not when he learnt he wouldn’t play in the World Cup, not when he heard he might never play for India again, not when the doctors told him he might never recover complete vision. He patiently saw through every moment of lingering gloom, sometimes bursting into tears and sometimes with a stout heart willing himself to tackle life head on, with no protective gear as on the turf.
In retrospect, those were literally and figuratively the darkest days of his life. He hates to recollect the endless hours tugged to the hospital bed, contemplating on his future as a player and his vision. “I used to shudder at the thought that I might not play for India. I couldn’t bear to imagine that and decided such thoughts shouldn’t cross my mind at all. I am not an emotional person but there were moments when I couldn’t hold myself back. My father’s presence eased my mind, and my friend always tried to cheer me up, and I would momentarily be happy. Also, many of my teammates used to call me and cheer me up. It was the toughest phase of my life,” he reflects.
But Baljit never caved in to his grueling fate. For he believed his fate was elsewhere. He kept his belief and patience; meanwhile, he agonisingly watched India finish eighth in the FIH World Cup. “I know our players gave more than 100 percent. We played brilliantly against Pakistan and, with a little luck, we could have finished in a better position. But I wish I had been there,” he rues.
Meanwhile, he convinced himself about returning to the field. And he made his comeback in the inter-petroleum board tournament as a substitute for Devesh Chauhan before featuring in the Bangalore League and CM’s Cup. “I haven’t regained vision totally, so I am still not absolutely comfortable. Currently, I have recovered 35 percent of my vision. And I need to undergo a few more surgeries. I’m a little uncomfortable playing under the lights, especially when warding off high balls. But I haven’t faced any other difficulty, and I practise every day. I’m extremely happy to be back on the field, and for that I thank my family, friends, employers and coach Rameshji (Parameswaram),” he says.
Ramesh, too, avers that Baljit could soon be back in contention for a place in the Indian team. “That he is playing regularly in domestic tournaments is a good indication, but he still has to improve to be in the reckoning for the national side. There is a world of difference between national and international hockey. I have told him to focus more on regaining his fitness levels. And the more he plays, the better he will be. He is a hardworking man, and given the progress he has made after the injury, he should soon be back in contention.”
Though Baljit will strive for his comeback to the national side, he won’t let the thought trouble his mind. “I shouldn’t try to speed up things. I want to practise harder and improve my game further so that I can show the world that nothing is impossible. If I do so, it won’t be difficult for me to attract the attention of the selectors,” he says. If Baljit indeed makes the cut, it will mark the glorious triumph of the human spirit.
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