When former India hockey player Ajitesh Roy set up RK Roy Hockey Academy in Patna in 2018, his objective was clear, to produce players from Bihar who could go on to represent the national team.Since the creation of Jharkhand, Bihar has seen only Ajitesh play for the Indian senior team. While a few players from the state have made it to national junior camps over the years, none of them managed to transition into the senior side.
That narrative could soon change.Sawan Kumar, a goalkeeper from Patna who has been training at the RK Roy Hockey Academy since 2019, has been selected for the India U-18 team for the upcoming four-match series against Australia. The series will serve as preparation for the U-18 Asia Cup, scheduled to be held in Kakamigahara, Japan, from May 29 to June 6.Though he still has a long way to go to fulfil Ajitesh’s dream, Sawan couldn’t have asked for a better start. He is relishing the opportunity and making the most of it, with his biggest thrill so far being the chance to train under former India captain Sardar Singh.“He made us feel comfortable from the very beginning. Training felt easy and positive,” said Sawan during an interaction with TOI from Bhopal, where the team has been in camp. “There’s a lot to learn from him — his discipline, dedication and consistency. His focus and approach on the field are very inspiring.”A huge fan of PR Sreejesh, the youngster has also tried to learn as much as possible by watching the former India goalkeeper’s videos over the years, especially his performances at the Tokyo and Paris Olympics, where India won consecutive bronze medals.“I learned a lot by watching and then trying things out in practice. In that way, he is my idol,” said Sawan. “Especially his performances in shoot-outs and penalty-corner defence, and his confidence, are admirable.”While he may have picked up many lessons from watching Sreejesh, Sawan credits much of his journey to coach Sashi Rana, who first asked him to take up goalkeeping.“I played many sports before joining hockey. Initially, I played as a forward and enjoyed it, but later my coach made me a goalkeeper. Gradually, I started enjoying it and got completely addicted to it,” he added.Beyond his coach and the academy, Sawan’s father Sanjay Kumar, an accountant by profession, has been a constant source of support, and the youngster hopes to make him proud.“He always encouraged me to move ahead. Whenever I lost a match, he would simply say, ‘No problem — work harder next time,’” said the goalkeeper, who also credited Raveendran Sankaran, director general-cum-CEO of Bihar State Sports Authority (BSSA), for the continued support being extended to the sport in the state.As for Ajitesh, he isn’t getting carried away by the early breakthrough and wants his ward to go all the way.“This is still the junior level, so I don’t think it’s the right time to get carried away,” said the former India player.“I keep telling Sawan the same thing, ‘You haven’t achieved anything yet, keep that in mind’. People around him are excited about the India colours, but the true India team is the senior team. Junior is good, but the real satisfaction comes with senior colours. I’m waiting for that.”And if not Sawan, someone else may well follow, given the growing support system being built by people like Ajitesh and the state govt.
