KOCHI: Of the shining Arjuna awardees of the state, there is a lone warrior gracing the impressive list. S Omanakumari, a pioneering presence, had a long and distinguished career as an international.
Omana is the only hockey player, man or woman, from the state to lay a hand on the coveted award, and perhaps the only star from the state to have a glittering career spanning more than 15 years in women’s hockey.
“It was a dream career for me. I never thought I would reach so far as I picked up the stick for the first time in my school. I was only 12 then. I played hockey for fun initially,” says the 56-year-old. A year after she began welding the curved stick, Omana went to the state hockey championship in Thiruvananthapuram in 1971. The sprightly centre half, who was coached by T P Balakrishnan, then progressed fast with a host of fine performances for state and country.
She represented India in the Pre-Olympics championship in Mexico in 1979, and played a pivotal role in the India-Russia test series the following year. She went for the Asian Championship in 1981, and won her maiden gold in the 9th Asian Games held in Delhi.
The GV Raja Award winner, who claimed the Arjuna in 1998, said recognition and accolades are a real inspiration. “Awards are real morale boosters. We never had a very good female hockey player after me. It is not because there is a dearth of talent in the state, but there is not enough support from the associations concerned,” says Omana, who retired after the 1986 Seoul Asian Games.
Of urgent need, she says, is a proper hockey turf.
“We need at least one good playing surface in each district. Besides, state of the art playing equipment is a must to groom youngsters in the state,” adds the former world cupper, of the state still awaiting its first synthetic hockey ground.
Saying it was difficult to rise to the national radar during her playing career, Omana urged the upcoming players to make the maximum use of the opportunities coming their way.
“If you compare the two times, the younger players enjoy reasonably good number facilities in hockey. But they have to put them to good use,” stresses Omana.
S Omanakumari
Born: Edappazhanji,
Thiruvananthapuram
Major Achievements:
1979: Broke into the Indian team for Pre-Olympic c’ship, Mexico
1982: Delhi Asian Games, gold
1983: Played in her first World Cup in Malaysia
1985: World Cup, Argentina
1986: Seoul Asian Games, bronze
1998: Arjuna Award
