Hinterland heroes stick together

The quartet of SV Sunil, VR Raghunath, SK Uthappa and Nikkin Thimmaiah from Kodagu, the heartland of hockey in Karnataka, has battled personal and physical odds to lead India's charge at the Rio Olympics.
THE STRIKE FORCE
"I wanted to give my family a better life, educate my siblings and get my sister married. The only way I could have done it was by playing hockey.That is my life and that's the only skill I have," said SV Sunil, the vice-captain of the Rio-bound Indian hockey team.
It was that sense of responsibility that made India's star striker take the field at the 2009 Sultan Azlan Shah tournament in Malaysia, just hours after he heard of his father's demise. Sunil's story of playing for the country and missing his father's funeral is among Indian hockey's folklore, but the genial attacker has his share of regrets.
"I always spoke to my father before I left for any tournament. But the day I left for Malaysia, he was asleep. Two days later, he was no more. I wish I had a chance to speak to him that one last time," said Sunil, the pain continuing to haunt him.
Life for Sunil has been an endless struggle. He lost his mother growing up, while poverty was a constant companion. A few months after he lost his father, he nearly lost his other lifeline -a career threatening injury kept him out of the game for almost two years.
"2010 was very tough. I thought my career was over. For seven months, I played with the injury not knowing what it was. Then Dr Anant Joshi in Mumbai told me a part of the knee bone was dead and I needed surgery," recollected Sunil.
He needed Rs 5 lakh for the surgery, but didn't know how to raise that kind of money. "I didn't have more than Rs 15,000 in my bank account and if not for my coach Harendra Singh, who approached the government for medical assistance, I wouldn't have got the surgery done and gone to work with the Army where I was employed," explained the lanky lad from Somwarpet.
Since 2012, Sunil has been the strike force of the Indian line-up and believes the force behind his self-belief is his devotion to self-belief is his devotion to Ganesha.
"I have 12-13 idols which I carry with me at all times. I also have a small idol that a friend gifted me 11 years ago. That's in my stick bag, if not in my pocket," he said. When the chips are down, he seeks solitude and listens to songs from Kannada movies with the song Sole illa (There is no defeat) being a huge mood-lifter.
That's the belief with which Sunil goes to Rio, hoping to land the dream medal.
FLOURISHING WITH THE FLICK
A mediocre 2010 and an injury proved to be a huge setback in defender VR Raghunath's career. He got a lifeline in the form of the Senior Nationals in 2011 where the IOCL employee turned out for his home state Karnataka.
On the back of a sterling performance, the 28-year-old was back in the national team reckoning, and that he feels was the turning point of his decade-long career.
"I missed out on playing in 2010, I didn't have a great season but I knew I still had a good few years left in me. I went back to the drawing board and worked harder and played the Nationals. The selectors thought I had improved and deserved a second chance. That I guess changed everything as I returned a mature and responsible player," said Raghu, who is among the most experienced in the Indian line-up for Rio.
His testing days on the sidelines, he believes, is a lesson for youngsters. "I always tell them that what Sunil and I struggled for 7-8 years, they have earned it in a few seasons. I'm not taking away anything from their talent and determination, but we keep telling them to value and respect their place in the squad. I learnt that the hard way when I spent 18 agonizing months watching the national team play on television," said the drag-flick ace, who was also a part of the Indian team at the 2012 London Olympics.
Most sporting ambitions are fulfilled at the cost of personal life. Raghunath, who married Surya a little over two years ago, believes the key to a successful career is a balanced personal life.
"I left for a camp about four days after marriage. In fact, in the first year, I spent 10 months away. Throughout my career, my family has been my pillar of strength and in the past few years my wife too has understood and embraced the life of sportsman's spouse. She's given me the space and peace of mind to chase my dreams. All I want to do now is to ensure none of the sacrifices made by the team and our families is wasted."
A SECOND SHOT AT GLORY
Hockey, they say, runs in a Kodava's blood and SK Uthappa is no different. His dream of playing for the country was fuelled by the annual Kodava Family Cup tournament where he was among the star performers for the Sunnuvanda family a few years ago.
Having made the London Olympics cut in 2012, Uthappa's fledgling career has seen many highs and lows. Back after battling indifferent form in 2014, he wants to make the Rio journey count. "I didn't want to finish my career as a London Olympian after our disastrous run. The journey to Rio means a lot to me and I'm aware what it means to the sport in India. When we came back from London, the way people treated us and looked at us has helped me to learn to cope with the pressure and criticism from the media and the fans alike," Uthappa said. In school, Uthappa, who hails from Gonikoppa, was an all rounder good at basketball, volleyball, football and hockey. "My elder brother SK Chinnappa asked me to pursue hockey and I don't regret it at all."
Uthappa, who is a huge gaming buff, counts FIFA games as one of his biggest stress buster and Fiji his dream holiday destination.
Amid all the hype surrounding the Olympics, Uthappa doesn't fail to remember the contributions of seniors VR Raghunath and SV Sunil.
"When I made my debut, the only people I knew in the team were Sunil and Raghu. They are like my elder brothers. Raghu keeps shouting at me on and off the field, like an older brother would do. They've always been very open with me and correct all my mistakes. Sometimes, it is quite funny when they abuse me in Kodava, which only we understand. Now, we have to be careful about that because the mikes on and off the field pick it up," explained Uthappa, the most playful among the Karnataka players in the squad.
DESTINED DREAMS
Most sporting dreams thrive on one magical word -Olympics. It's a dream destination for millions, yet, only a few cross the bridge, built with sweat, blood, talent, determination and, of course, a dash of luck. In less than three weeks from now, striker Nikkin Thimmaiah will realize his dream of becoming an Olympian. "Being a part of the Indian team for the Olympics means everything to me. It is a dream my father and I shared, a challenge my moth a challenge my mother and sister helped me overcome."
A hamstring injury ruled him out of the 2014 World Cup, a year after his debut, but that wasn't the only injury which has pegged back the 25-year-old's career.
"My career has been replete with injuries and there were many occasions where self-doubt pulled me down. My mother and sister proved to be my backbone during those dark days, pushing me towards realizing my dreams," recalled the lad from Virajpet.
Like Uthappa, Nikkin too attributed his on-field confidence to his seniors from the state. "Sunil and Raghu have always been like brothers and never treated us like juniors. They guide us on the field and friend off it. It definitely helps that we come from the same region, we understand each other better," he explained.
Sunil's belief in God has rubbed off on Nikkin too. "I've started following Sunil and now carry a Ganesha idol and photos of Sai Baba and Goddess Kali."