Committed towards the development of hockey

IT IS a public sector unit which has been recording losses for the last five years and also figures among the shortlisted ones for privatisation.

Amidst such a background, the organisation has even slowed on the recruitment front.

Yet, despite all the problems, Air India is keen on continuing with a project on which it can only spend without getting any monetary return.

The Air India National Hockey Academy, a joint venture with the Sports Authority of India (SAI) since 1992, may not have contributed much in terms of salvaging the sagging image of the airline but it surely has been providing Indian hockey with a rich crop of young talent.

So what prompts Air India to continue with the academy?

``The Air India management is fully committed towards the development of hockey. Our aim is to tap the talent. Though we have not recruited any player after the first two years, we feel proud when we see many of our trainees playing for India,'' says the academy's Co-ordinator, Ramesh Nambiar.

It is creditable indeed for AI to show concern for the sport, which has hardly any structure to guide the fringe players.

The academy has contributed 49 players to the senior National side in the last nine seasons. More importantly, it has been successful in securing a job for all the players till date.

The budget for the academy has come down from Rs. 25 lakhs to Rs. 13 lakhs this year. But there has been no dilution of the spirit with which the academy functions in order to keep up a regular supply of talented players.

The fair selection of the trainees by a group of former Olympians, a coach, provided by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) to work on a long-term basis, the importance given to the boys' education (through Father Agnel Memorial School and Jamia Millia University) and playing as a unit at the National level events, all contribute to make it a successful venture.

``I have been involved since the beginning and it is their way of functioning, which has brought success. The strengthening of the basics, awareness about the tactical aspects, practice on the astro-turf and other factors such as diet control, board and lodging, all lead to progress in the right direction, '' says former India captain and coach Zafar Iqbal.

Apart from Zafar, M. K. Kaushik, Ashok Kumar and Harinder Singh are some of the renowned players and coaches to be associated with the selection procedure.

Ashok Kumar also praised Air India for its efforts. ``It is one of the very important academies in the country. It is run sincerely and despite problems, Air India's interest has not decreased,'' says the Indian Airlines employee.

The players get enrolled for a three-year term and every season, eight to 10 players get selected in the new batch.

But such has been the response from the organisations that the key performers get jobs before the conclusion of their stint.

``The Academy is quite well known. The players are offered jobs by various leading teams. Railways, Food Corporation of India, Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation and others have approached us for placements. We consider it as vital step in their professional career, so we do not stop them, '' says Nambiar, who has been associated with the Academy for the last two years.

To the credit of the SAI coach, Ajay Kumar Bansal, who has been working in the Academy since 1995, his strenuous schedule and technical inputs even on the deteriorating turf at the National Stadium have helped in sustaining the enthusiasm among the players.

From the recent batches, eight players including Gagan Ajit Singh, Deepak Thakur and goalkeeper Devesh Chauhan were part of the two different senior sides, which had been selected to represent the country.

In an encouraging development, four players were invited to play in Europe last year. Kulwinder Singh and Guru Lal competed in the Italian league, while Gaurav Kumar and Jassa Singh played in the Dutch and Spanish leagues, respectively.

The benefit of training together has reflected in the performance in the domestic tournaments.

In the Nehru hockey tournament, one of the coveted tournaments in the capital, the Indian Oil XI (mainly comprising Academy players) won the title last year.

Even in the 1999 edition, when a few of the Academy players were chosen to represent the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) junior XI, the side overcame Punjab Police and Air India before losing in the semifinals.

One of the reasons cited by Zafar for the success is the transparency in the selection policy.

``Every year before the selection, there is awareness through advertisements. Around 200 boys attend the trials. We see their ability as well as consult their coaches on how they have been faring. Even those who are talented but miss the selection are encouraged to attend the trials next year.''

Ashok, who insists on two to three days for the selection, says, ``We are told about the requirements as per the composition of the side. I look out for stout and courageous players. Mainly, we look out for players in the 15-18 years age-group, who need to be polished for the international arena.''

The Academy, which receives major support from SAI in terms of access to the National Stadium turf, had suffered in recent years due to clefts in the turf apart from the problems in the residential area.

``The astro-turf is being relaid in order to prepare for the Afro-Asian Games. And the SAI is expected to sanction Rs. six lakhs for the renovation work at the Academy premises. Though there was lack of coordination between us (AI) and the SAI couple of years back, now things are improving, ''says Nambiar.

Due to financial constraints, AI had to inform the SAI that it was not in a position to pay the coach's fee and the electricity and water charges.

The persisting problems also forced AI to discontinue the daily allowances of the players.

Zafar says it is imperative to support the functioning of such academies for sustaining the performance at the international level.

``We do not have many academies. Also the club competition has slowly vanished. So we need to make sure such projects should not suffer (due to lack of funds), '' says Zafar.

Ashok Kumar, citing the example of coverage given to the recently inaugurated zonal cricket academies, pleads for more publicity for hockey too.

``Normally the players in hockey come from families which are not financially sound. The image is low. Still jobs are being offered to the good players, so we all (former players, the IHF and media) need to encourage more people to play hockey. Also, if possible, the academy boys should be given more exposure.''

``The Indian Airlines team was formed in 1967. There are strict instructions to slow down the recruitment, still we have been taking players, especially in cricket and hockey, '' says Zafar.

Unlike cricket, hockey lacks the financial support from the IHF to operate in a similar fashion.

And also considering the fact that the arrangement, which the Air India Academy has with SAI in Delhi might not be feasible in other centres due to the dearth of astro-turfs.

It then becomes vital to sustain the efforts initiated by Air India.

RITESH GUPTA

New Delhi

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