THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Indian hockey vice-captain P R Sreejesh will become the first men’s hockey player from Kerala to receive Arjuna Award after he was recommended for the prestigious award by a 12-member selection committee on Tuesday.
Goalkeeper Sreejesh will also become the second hockey player from Kerala, after 1982 Asian Games gold medalist S Omanakumari, to receive the honour when it will be presented by President Pranab Mukherjee at the Rashtrapati Bhawan on August 29. Sreejesh who played a major part in India emerging champions at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games was also part of the national team that won silver medals at both the 2010 and 2014 Commonwealth Games.
The second hockey player from Kerala, after Manuel Frederiks, to represent the country in the Olympics which he did at London in 2014, Sreejesh is working as the chief sports organiser at the General Education Department since May 2015 -- a post that was offered to him by the Kerala government for his achievements on the field. Sreejesh, who is currently with Team Indian on their European Tour in which he will guard the goal against Spain at Spanish town of Terrassa on Thursday, is expected to return to India on August 15.
Meanwhile, Sreejesh’s parents described the day as one of the proudest in their lives. “It is the proudest moment of our lives as well as Sreejesh’s,” said Raveendran P V, his father.
“Sreejesh had told us before leaving for Europe that there was a 75 per cent chance of the award. However, it still came as a surprise for all of us,” he said. “Sreejesh phoned us from Spain after hearing the news and asked us to share his happiness with everyone at home,” he added.
Their residence at Ernakulam was flocked by neighbours and fans during the day. “Kunnathunad MLA V P Sajeendran and Kerala State Sports Council president Padmini Thomas were among those who called us to congratulate,” Raveendran said.
Meanwhile, Omanakumari, the only other Arjuna Award recipient in hockey from the state, said that though Sreejesh’s achievement is a matter of great pride for Kerala, the future of the game in Kerala looks bleak. “It is a huge achievement for Sreejesh to rise through the ranks from a state where hockey is almost non existent,” the former India international said. “But the fact that no one has followed the same path since him is concerning,” she said. Omanakumari said the ever-changing administrations of the sport in Kerala is to blame for the state’s backwardness in hockey. “Our administrators care more for their egos than putting in the effort to save the game,” Omanakumari said.
