In search of a shade under sun

As it nears one year of inception, the Dhanraj Pillay Hockey Academy (DPHA) has already underwent a roller-coaster ride. For those indulging in trivial pursuits this bit could be interesting — the ace striker’s project hasn’t yet got a permanent address.

If the inaugural proceedings and selection trials were held at the Bombay Hockey Association (BHA) astro-turf, later on it moved to the grass fields, in a suburban school (St Andrew’s, Bandra), to the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) ground, Powai before plonking itself in the confines of Krida Prabodhini, Goregaon where the off-season training is curently under progress. But Pillay is unperturbed. ‘‘All along whenever we faced problems there were an equal number of people willing to help,’’ he says.

The Mahindra Stadium could have been the ideal place for Pillay’s project but the primitive mentality prevalent in the BHA corridors meant that the former had to reach out for other avenues. Among the bizarre bloomers that often spill out of the Association includes an inherent fear of the astro-turf getting damaged if overused.

The academy’s fundings have been based on an interesting concept — from used ink-jet and laser cartridges. Pillay himself did the rounds of corporate houses, hospitals, government offices to seek donors of used cartridges for his academy. ‘‘The response was overwhelming. There had been instances when the top executives and directors used to put aside their daily schedules to listen to my plans.’’

Though the response hasn’t exactly translated into the returns, read cartridges, the likes of Cipla, DSP Meryll-Lynch, Hinduja Hospital, Gangaram Hospital (Delhi), Hindustan Petroleum have been the regulars. The Hindujas have even given six medical passes to each of the 30-odd trainees at the academy to undergo treatment in case of an injury.

If the corporates and the likes have fuelled the academy, a dedicated bunch of individuals — acclaimed coaches Satinder Walia, Clarence Lobo, philanthropist and talent scout Marzaban ‘Bawa’ Patel alongwith fitness instructor Yogesh Kanchan — have provided the direction and kept it on the tracks even when Pillay was away on national duty or playing in the Malaysian League.

The academy possesses all that Pillay himself had been deprived in his formative years. ‘‘I have tried to ensure that these kids do not undergo what I had to — wearing only one jersey for days together or going home on empty stomachs after training sessions. Each one of them has at least two spare jerseys besides proper kits. We also ensure that they are on a proper diet,’’ says Pillay.

Among the incentives on offer for the boys is a 25-day tour to Bangalore next month with the best among the lot making it to France for a training programme. ‘‘Tony Fernandes, who was my coach, when I played in the French league, has promised to train a couple of the best academy boys. We haven’t worked out the schedule but are hopeful of pulling it off in the near future,’’ opines Pillay.

‘‘Dhanraj is doing a martyr’s job. How many sportspersons do it? Look at (Sachin) Tendulkar. He has begun a chain of restaurants. It takes guts to do what Dhanraj is doing,’’ thunders Patel, whose promotion of the sport is part of hockey folklore in Mumbai. Picking up kids from the slums and thrusting a stick in their hands, Patel has transformed many a life. And he has been at it for the past two decades with his club Bombay Republicans providing the platform.

Patel recalls that he is simply following in the footsteps of the late Balram Krishna Mohite, founder of the Bombay Republicans. ‘‘Unfortunately, nobody remembers Mr Mohite’s deeds,’’ adds Patel wistfully.

This remarkable man, whose job as clerk with the Diners Club is locked in a legal wrangle, continues to surprise you with the phenomenal data that he reels out on every player whom he has nursed. In fact, he says most of them — Cornelius D’Costa, Manoj Lokhande, Viren Rasquinha, Vijay Alphonso, Stanley Fernandes, Conroy Remedios (all junior India players) — after graduating to a higher level have been chipping in financially to run the club. And he takes immense pride in the fact that all his wards have made it good in life. ‘‘Somehow by God’s grace I have never failed.’’