India may be a land steeped in divine figures where gods and legends abound. But for me, Dhanraj Pillay rises above them all. He isn’t just a hero in hockey; he is the beacon who lit my path from a young age, the one who turned my admiration into a lifelong passion.
Much like a storm unleashed on the open plains, Pillay’s presence on the field was one of pure, untamed force—a veritable tornado that swept through the hearts of spectators and opponents alike. He didn’t just shape my love for hockey, he became the embodiment of everything I admired: strength, resilience, and heart. Dhanraj Anna will forever be the god who graced the field with his presence.
Dhanraj Pillay
Upon the moor where winds did howl,
Where humble sticks and dreams did prowl,
There stood a youth of spirit bold,
With broken stave and heart of gold.
His feet were swift as tempest’s flight,
His mind was sharp, his soul alight.
A whirlwind of might with the heart of a lion,
He charged the field like the storm’s own scion.
With the speed of the wind and the lion’s fierce pride,
TheToofan rose, The Tornado made his mark,
A blazing path through history’s deepest dark.
He danced on fields with fate by his side.
O, Joaquim Carvalho’s hand didst shape his fate,
With toil and sweat, from early to late.
The hours long, the day be spent,
In mastery of skill, unbent.
With sinew wrought of iron and might,
He trained ’til the sun did cease its light.
Through the field of battle, fierce and hot,
By sweat and blood, by skill and thought,
He carved his name on Glory’s page,
And met with foes on every stage.
But though he soared, as hawk on high,
The cruel barb of hate drew nigh.
O, sing of Pillay, wild and free,
His tale shall stand in memory.
Where e’er the storm doth rage and blow,
There comes the man, the fields aglow.
The flag he bore, with hand held high,
Shall ever wave underneath India’s sky.
And though his boots now rest at last,
His tale, like wind, shall ever blast.
Through time and tide, through sun and shade,
His legend e’er shall never fade.
© Ravi Teja Mandapaka, August, 2024
