Prem Maya Sonir’s Journey from Basketball to Field Hockey

Prem Maya Sonir won gold medals at the 1981 Kyoto Asia Cup and the 1982 New Delhi Asian Games.

The Moscow Olympics in 1980 remains an eternal enigma in the history of Indian hockey. It was our last gold at the Olympics, and India sent its finest hockey talents (both men and women) to Moscow. The great Mohammed Shahid and his team won gold, and the women’s team, with the Saini Sisters and Lorraine Fernandes, finished fourth. Among the women was Prem Maya Sonir, a national-level basketball player representing India in field hockey.

Prem Maya’s parents are from Nepal, and then moved to Gorakhpur, India, to work for services. That is where she was born. An alumnus of Arya Kanya School, she says, “My school had a good sports culture, and it was under Ms. Nasira Khatun that I took a serious interest in athletics. Later, I took up basketball at a national level. Back then, the Masgi Boys College in our town was quite famous for hockey. Watching them play the game and listening to radio commentary of legends like Ashok Kumar, B P Govinda, and Aslam Sher Khan motivated me to pick up a hockey stick.”

Prem Maya lost her father at a young age, but support from her mother, brother, and uncles helped her play the game internationally. She represented Uttar Pradesh in three Basketball Nationals, in 1974, 1975, and 1976. It was at this stage her journey in hockey began. She says, “In 1976, the Women’s Hockey Hostel was opened, and Tejbhadur Shahi Sir took me to the selection trials. After getting selected, I went to Lucknow’s K D Singh Babu stadium. MS Bula Ganguli was our coach here, and she imbibed the values of K D Singh Babu and Jaman Lal Sharma in us.”

TSC’s Ravi Mandapaka had the pleasure recently of interviewing the gold medalist at the 1981 Kyoto Asia Cup and 1982 New Delhi Asian Games. Here are excerpts from our talk.

Ravi: We had come a long way in terms of gender equality; however, when you started, women in sports, in general, and Indian women, in particular, were still an object of curiosity. So in that context, can you talk about the challenges you faced in that period and the support that you received? Do you believe things have changed for the better, or are they still the same?

Prem Maya Sonir in 1983 (photo courtesy HockeyPassion.in)

Prem Maya: During those days, sports were considered a big challenge for girls, and we faced many hurdles. But we survived thanks to good teachers, coaches, officials, and other officers. Also, facilities were less than, but I had the fire in my belly to play hockey. Nowadays, the facilities for sports are plenty and with new techniques, coaches, and stadiums. A lot of changes for the good of sport have come in.

Ravi: You coached Railways and won many national titles. Can you tell us about those days and a few memorable moments as a coach?

Prem Maya: I was a member of the Indian National Women’s Team from 1979 to 1986 and was the coach of Indian Railways from 1999 to 2014. These years have been memorable for me. Also, my tenure with Railways was impressive and satisfying as we won eight championships with an excellent, disciplined team.

Ravi: In India, public interest in sports is linked to success and significant events like the Olympics, Before the Olympics, most people didn’t know anything about women’s hockey, and now there is interest. What do you think can be done to sustain and build this interest?

Prem Maya: Today, parents are encouraging their girls to move to hostels and learn our national game. There is good funding from Sports Authority and India; we only need a good coaching setup. I am a hockey coach with Sports College in Gorakhpur, and we have many young girls aged 9 to 12 years. Trust me when I say that the future looks very bright.

Prem Maya Sonir today (photo submitted by author)

Ravi: What is your philosophy in sports and life? 

Prem Maya: The life of a sportsperson is charming and satisfying. Children can enjoy our hockey with good discipline and patience for better results.

Ravi: Do you also wish to say anything to young girls and women regarding how to plan or restart their careers and achieve success?

Prem Maya: Young children should be motivated to join sports colleges/hostels. They can fine-tune their skills and learn our national game under the structured guidance of coaches, physios, and mentors.

Prem Maya Soni is married to a basketball player, Mr. Bachchan Prasad of the Indian Railways. The couple has two sons, Ankit Bachchan and Arpit Bachchan.