Tribune News Service

Amritsar, November 19

Araijeet Singh Hundal, a young hockey star from Amritsar, will be part of India’s junior men’s hockey team as the reigning champions gear up to start their campaign at FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup from November 24.

Araijeet’s selection in the Indian junior hockey team has filled former hockey players and lovers of the game with excitement as they are eagerly waiting to see him perform in the international format of the game.

Araijeet, a resident of Pakharpura district village in Amritsar, is a product of the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Hockey Academy, which is being run by former Olympians and players in Butala. The academy has had a reputation of giving several successful players to Indian hockey, including Arjuna Award winners Dilpreet Singh and Shamsher Singh, members of the bronze-winning hockey team at Tokyo Olympics. Like Dilpreet and Shamsher, Araijeet, too, is an alumnus of Spring Dale Senior School, that has collaborated with Maharaja Ranjit Singh Hockey Academy to scout and train hockey talent from Amritsar.

FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup will be held in Bhubaneswar from November 24 and end on December 5. Araijeet celebrated being a part of the Indian Junior Men’s Hockey Team and said his early training in school and later at the academy was indeed a provision of the mental and physical equipment that is required most importantly by any player. The academy is run by Olympian Balwinder Singh Shammi, who was the first Hockey Olympian from Amritsar.

Araijeet left for Odisha with the team but his family and his coaches including his school coach Kuljeet Singh Bumrah hope for the young lad to shine on ground. Meanwhile, Sahiljit Singh Sandhu, chairman, Spring Dale Educational Society, said the idea behind the collaboration of the institutions is to nurture talented players and promote the game.

“While being a part of Spring Dale Senior School, Araijeet won many CBSE National and city-level hockey tournaments and remained the best player in All-India Nehru Hockey Tournament during his presence at the school from 2013 to 2017. The institution wishes Araijeet good luck and prays for his success at the Junior World Cup. The two like-minded institutions cater to the needs of players to reach national and international levels of performance,” he said.

Following Olympians’ footsteps?

• Araijeet, a resident of Pakharpura district village in Amritsar, is a product of the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Hockey Academy, which is being run by former Olympians and players in Butala.
• The academy has had a reputation of giving several successful players to Indian hockey, including Arjuna Award winners Dilpreet Singh and Shamsher Singh, members of the bronze-winning hockey team at Tokyo Olympics.
• Like Dilpreet and Shamsher, Araijeet, too, is an alumnus of Spring Dale Senior School, that has collaborated with Maharaja Ranjit Singh Hockey Academy to scout and train hockey talent from Amritsar.