Jalandhar: Mandeep Singh’s Father Steered Him From Cricket To Hockey
Dismisses speculation about his son’s retirement
30 October, 2026 – Jalandhar : Indian hockey forward Mandeep Singh, who scored a hat-trick in India’s 13-0 win over Bangladesh on the opening day of the Asian Champions Trophy at the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar on Tuesday, once dreamt of playing cricket. However, his father Ravinder Singh, a hockey enthusiast, was determined that his son would pursue hockey, given Mithapur’s legacy in the sport.
Recalling how Mandeep developed an interest in cricket during his childhood when he started going with his friends to play cricket, Ravinder said he had made it clear that hockey was the sport his son would play. Mandeep’s grandfather, his elder son also played hockey.
Advertisement
Laughing as he recalled the incident, Ravinder added, “Dabka vi bada maareya si main ohnu ki hockey hi khedni hai” .
Mandeep, who has represented India in 302 international matches, has also played two Olympics. He was part of the Indian team that won bronze medals.
Mandeep, too, recalled, “When I was young, I would tell my father I was going to play hockey, but instead, I started going to play cricket. One day, my father found out that I was not at the hockey ground, and then he came and gave me a good scolding. Jidda di daant payi mainu, ustoh baad te aana hi si hockey vaal,” he laughed.
“Te oh sabto vadiya decision si (After that scolding, I turned my full attention to hockey and it turned out to be the best decision),” he told The Tribune. He added that hockey is in the blood.
On Tuesday, Mandeep scored goal in the third, 10th and 54th minutes to complete his hat-trick as India began its campaign with a commanding 13-0 victory over Bangladesh.
India made an aggressive start, earning a penalty corner in the second minute, which captain Harmanpreet Singh converted with a drag-flick to open the scoring. A minute later, Mandeep collected Harmanpreet’s pass at the top of the circle and beat the goalkeeper with a reverse hit to double India’s lead.
Mandeep struck again in the 10th minute, finishing from close range after Harmanpreet’s aerial ball found Abhishek, who played it into the circle. He completed his hat-trick in the 54th minute, adding another milestone to India’s dominant performance.
Ravinder, who watched his son in action at the stadium, recalled that Mandeep began playing hockey at the age of four-and-a half at the Mithapur ground. He joined the Surjit Hockey Academy while studying in Class VII, taking another step towards a career in the sport.
With Mandeep’s name also figuring in unconfirmed reports suggesting that four Indian players could retire, Ravinder dismissed speculation about his son calling time on his career.
He expressed confidence that Mandeep would continue playing and feature at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
For now, Mandeep remains focused on the task at hand, ensuring that India retain the Asian Champions Trophy, with the tournament being held on home ground.
Scolded by father
“When I was young, I would tell my father I was going to play hockey, but instead, I started going to play cricket. One day, my father found out that I was not at the hockey ground, and then he came and gave me a good scolding. Jidda di daant payi mainu, ustoh baad te aana hi si hockey vaal,” Mandeep Singh
Jalandhar: A Havildar’s Sacrifice Behind Hockey Olympian Dilpreet Singh’s Rise
Dilpreet grabs attention when he scored 10 goals in the Asian games
30 October, 2026 – Jalandhar : Balwinder Singh still remembers the year 2010, when he took his son Dilpreet Singh to the Nehru Cup Under-15 hockey tournament. It was a moment that would stay with him forever. Watching the young player, Olympian Harbinder Singh told him, “Tera beta ik din Olympics khedega” (Your son will play in the Olympics one day).
Years later, that prediction came true. Dilpreet went on to represent India at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, where the Indian men’s hockey team won a bronze medal, ending a 41-year wait for an Olympic podium finish. Dilpreet grabbed attention when he scored 10 goals in the recently held Asian games and scored two goals in the inaugural match of the Asian Champions Trophy.
As Balwinder recounted the memory to The Tribune, his voice choked with emotion.
Hailing from Butala village in Amritsar district, Dilpreet began playing hockey when he was just five-years old. His father, who served in the Army as a Havildar, took voluntary retirement in 2004 to devote more time to nurturing his son’s sporting ambitions.
After retiring, Balwinder began coaching at the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Hockey Academy in Amritsar, around 50 km from their village. He took Dilpreet along, determined to give him the best possible training and exposure.
Dilpreet was only seven when he began living away from home at the academy. Although his father stayed in a room there as a coach, the young player lived alongside the other trainees rather than with him. While Balwinder returned to the village every week, Dilpreet would visit home only once a month.
“He did not live there as my son, but as any other player. That is how I raised him,” Balwinder said.
The discipline was deliberate. He wanted Dilpreet to learn independence, accept the demands of professional sport and earn his place through hard work, just like every other player.
Today, Balwinder is watching his son play an international match in person for the first time at the Surjit Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar during the Asian Champions Trophy. The venue holds special significance for the family, as Dilpreet first came there when he was just 10 years old.
Dilpreet’s early promise was evident at the SN Vohra hockey tournament in Chandigarh, where he was named the best player in the Under-14 category in his first tournament, according to his father. Sporting talent also ran in the family: His grandfather had been a national-level long jump champion for 10 years.
The journey, however, was not without setbacks. In 2019, Dilpreet was moved from the senior team to the junior team, a challenging phase in his career. His absence from India’s squad for the 2024 Paris Olympics was another disappointment.
But Balwinder believes that setbacks are part of an athlete’s journey. Rather than allowing disappointment to define his son’s career, he has set new targets for him.
“I have now given him two goals — to play in the 2028 Olympics and the 2030 World Cup,” he said.
The Tribune