The Indian Hockey Team both men and women have breathed life into a sport which was quickly cascading downhill. The performances of both the teams have been an absolute revelation and particularly the women’s hockey Team, who displayed great character and almost pulled off a medal for us.
Men’s Hockey Team, barring one hiccup against Australia played like true champions. They were brave and undeterred by the opposition and were deserving medallists after a massive gap of 41 years.
1980 it was when India won the Olympic Gold in Hockey at Moscow. I was barely 7 at that time and my best three memories from the Moscow Games were 1. The American Boycott of the Games, 2. Misha, the cute Russian Bear as the Games’ Mascot and 3. India’s Gold Medal by the V. Bhaskaran led Indian Hockey Team.
However there was one Indian player, just 20 years old, who by his sheer skill had caught the attention of Hockey followers world wide, Mohd.Shahid. He had burst on the scene a year earlier during the Junior World Cup .
Mohd Shahid, a resident of Varanasi, was an exceptional talent. He had quicksilver feet, had great control on the ball, could dribble like a wizard and make his way across a sea of players and score goals with great accuracy. Undoubtedly Shahid played an important role in India’s gold medal winning quest at Moscow.
He was also awarded the ‘Best Forward‘ in the Champions Trophy, that year. During his prime he was considered to be one of the finest players in the world with very few around who could match his ability with the hockey stick. He pulled spectators to the stands with his attractive play and inspired a whole generation to follow and play the sport in the country. Hockey still remains the sport I played best.
Mohd Shahid was conferred with the Arjuna award in 1981 and the Padma Shri in 1986 .He went on to captain the Indian Team as well and called time on his career in 1989 and settled down in his native Varanasi.
In the year 2007, while posted in Varanasi I was lucky to have a telephonic conversation with Mohd Shahid, through an acquaintance. The great player was humble to the core and invited me to his place. I really wanted to meet him but unfortunately I could not do so.
Eight years hence in 2015 it so happened that I spoke to him again and as destiny would have it, that was my last conversation with him, as the great legend of the game, the Mercurial Mohd Shahid passed away in 2016. He was just 56. I still rue not meeting him.
Mohd Shahid, one of the finest Hockey players ever, was a fierce competitor on the field, but a humble soul off it… In Indian Hockey, his legend still lives on.