One Team, One Dream (OTOD) is “The Twelfth Man” of Indian Hockey

I caught up recently with Raja Namdhari,  president of OTOD, to discuss field hockey, India’s National Game.

Field Hockey – “A facet of life so undeniably appreciated in our society. I would wish it to be one of the last things I think before I die,” Antoine de Saint-Exupery.

Field Hockey in sub-continental pockets is more than just a religion and its representatives, demigods. If 11 men play the sport on the ground, then there’s an unheralded player who plays from the stands. They are the fans. They are, in short, ambassadors to sporting heroes on the field.

Though traditionalists prefer flocking around their television sets, the orthodox in OTOD never shun away from showing their passion in person at stadiums. They may not be the Barmy Army of England, but no one can ever support Indian Hockey better than One Team, One Dream (OTOD). I caught up recently with Raja Namdhari,  president of OTOD, to discuss field hockey, India’s National Game.

Ravi: Firstly, thank you for giving your valuable time to The Sports Column. Can we begin the conversation by having you tell us how and when it all started for you?

Raja Namdhari: Thank you, Ravi, for allowing us to share our story. It all started at the Commonwealth Games in 2010 in New Delhi, India. A group of five passionate hockey fans unknown to each other watched all the matches played by Indian Hockey Teams. Later, they would keep in touch with each and started traveling to venues where Indian Hockey Team played. Although the core group of OTOD is restricted to 30 members, the presence of OTOD across social media handles has grown beyond twelve thousand followers.

Ravi: Who were your idols growing up? How was the situation of field hockey back then, and how well do you think conditions improved for hockey fans in our country today?

From the Second Seniors Hockey Carnival held in Bengaluru, India, May 28-29, 2022

Raja Namdhari: We remain unbiased. We love and respect everyone who represents India in international hockey. To be honest, we were feeling low and disappointed when our on-field performances were not up to the mark. But as you know in recent times, there have been a few changes in our training staff that led to an improvement in the world ranking. Also, it is overwhelming to see major leagues and tournaments happening in India. We, the fans, are delighted to see many great players of field hockey touring and showing their skills in our country. It’s good for the fans and the development of our game as well.

Ravi: What is the most common issue you face as a fan community in the modern-day sport? How do you strike a balance between reality and exaggeration?

Raja Namdhari: As the biggest fan group in India, what we feel is the community is not completely fan-oriented. There’s still a long way to get all the hockey fans united under the same umbrella and travel to watch India play hockey at home and abroad.

Ravi: Can you describe a typical match day of yours?

Raja Namdhari: The majority of the core members are working professionals, and not everyone can attend all the matches in person. What we do usually is, have a joint WhatsApp group for our core group, and we keep ourselves posted about every second of the game. To the fans visiting in person, we communicate prior regarding the jersey to be worn and the stand to be seated in the stadium. Apart from our activities in the core group, we also post updates related to the game on our social media platform.

Ravi: Have you ever traveled as a sporting unit and watched hockey outside India? If so, describe one such memorable experience.

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Raja Namdhari: We have traveled to Olympics in London, Rio de Janeiro, etc. We connect with the local people during the tours and introduce OTOD and our activities in India. We also met the hockey heroes of that particular country, and over the years, we had many ex-internationals connecting with us.

Ravi: How do you all manage the finances of travel and touring? Have any sponsors approached you to date?

Raja Namdhari: We manage our finances, and our members themselves bear expenditures of all the tours. Very recently, we started an event, ‘Senior Hockey Carnival,’ and have been approached by a few sponsors and corporate professionals. Selecting a sponsor lies within the core group and is taken collectively.

Ravi: Out of all the matches you watched in person, which one is your favorite? And, which match, according to you, has had a more memorable euphoria than the rest?

Raja Namdhari: The 2016 Men’s Hockey Junior World Cup was held in Lucknow, India. It was a fantastic tournament for both the players and our coach Harendra Singh. The gold medal match vs. Belgium was a nail-biting one, and we all had tears after the final whistle.

Ravi: Tokyo Olympic Bronze Medal has become an outright favorite for many fans today. Can you talk about your experience on that incredibly emotional day in our country?

Raja Namdhari: We prepared and planned to travel to Tokyo, but due to Covid restrictions, we could not travel. What we did was a group of 20 OTOD members assembled at the KSHA stadium in Bengaluru and watched the historic match on the big screen. We celebrated the occasion big and complex obeying the Covid protocols in place. Indeed, it was a very emotional moment to see India winning an Olympic medal after forty years.

Ravi: With new stadiums across the country it is sure that a fan club of your caliber will grow mountains in our country. What advice do you give to any fan club across sports and games that aspire to maintain its longevity?

Raja Namdhari: No doubt, the fan base is growing aplenty with new venues like Rourkela coming up. One piece of advice we have for all fans is to stay connected with the game and players and support the same in their bad days and good days. We also feel young fans should keep themselves updated with the latest rules and regulations of the game. For example, hockey was played in two 35′ minute halves earlier, and today, it’s played in four quarters.

Ravi: What is your opinion on the ratio of exhibition games, tournaments, and practices on Indian Hockey’s domestic front? In other words, in what specific areas would you like to place the major emphasis on in the future?

From the Second Seniors Hockey Carnival held in Bengaluru, India, May 28-29, 2022

Raja Namdhari: Due to COVID, all the sporting events across the globe have come to a standstill, and of late, things have improved across all countries, with many tournaments being conducted. Never undermine domestic tournaments like inter-district, inter-university, inter-state, junior, and senior nationals. They are essential for spotting young talents and play a pivotal role in the grassroots development of the game. Not only in India, but in every country they occur.

Ravi: Can you briefly talk about the Seniors Hockey Carnival? When did it start, and where have you planned the future events?

Raja Namdhari: The first edition of the Seniors Hockey Carnival was held in Mumbai. The intention was to bring all the Ex-Olympians above 40 years of age together and acknowledge their contribution to field hockey in India. The second edition of the Seniors Hockey Carnival was held in Bengaluru in May 2022. There were nine teams in participation, including the OTOD team. Legends and national heroes like Dhanraj Pillay, Arjun Halappa, Ashish Ballal, and A B Subbaiah graced the occasion. We look forward to conducting many such events in all the Indian states.

Ravi: What message would you like to give the younger generation about ‘ethics’ and ‘character’ in life?

Raja Namdhari: Our message to the younger generation is to be disciplined and practice humility. Young players and kids growing up should always respect their family, coaches, teammates, juniors, and seniors. It is a big part of our Indian culture, and we seniors and elders must pass on the correct values and principles to the next generations.

Ravi: Here is what I think is the best XI to have ever represented India in Field Hockey. I would love to see your all-time XI in Indian hockey.

Dhyan Chand (Inside forward)

Leslie Claudius (Halfback)

Dhanraj Pillay (Center ahead)

Balbir Singh Sr (Right outer)

Mohammad Shahid (Left inner)

Randhir Singh Gentle (Full back)

Michael Kindo (Full back)

Prithipal Singh (Full back)

Ajit Pal Singh (Halfback)

Richard Allen (Goal Keeper)

Shankar Laxman (Goal Keeper)

Raja Namdhari: Indian Hockey has seen three eras of field hockey, i.e., the Grass Era, Synthetic Turf Era, and Modern-Day Era. So, it’s impossible to pick the best XI among all who represented our country. Jugraj Singh, Dhillon Brothers, Sardara Singh, Rajpal Singh, Dhanraj Pillay, Harendra Singh, Gurbaj Singh, Tejbir Singh, Ashish Ballal, Mohammad Riaz, and Sandeep Singh of the modern-day era, Mohammed Shahid, Rajeev Misra, M K Kaushik, Zafar Iqbal, Mervyn Fernandes, and Charanjit Kumar, etc. a decade earlier, Leslie Claudius, R S Gentle, K D Singh Babu, Ashok Kumar, Shankar Laxman, Kishan Lal and Dada Dhyan Chand of the immortal era to name a few, Indian Hockey has been blessed with legends and legions of unpardonable proportions.

I love and respect everyone who represents our country in the same length and width. Also, as seniors, we must teach the next generation to treat and respect everyone without any biases and inhibitions.

Courtesy Delhi Now Magazine

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