22 May, 2026 – Jalandhar : Jalandhar boy Akashdeep has brought laurels to the city by being selected in the India Under-18 Hockey team. A student of the School of Eminence, Ladhowali Road, Jalandhar, Akashdeep, who comes from a hockey background as the son of a former player, expressed joy over his selection while training in Bhopal for his maiden international outing at the upcoming Asia Cup in Japan.
Speaking to The Tribune from Bhopal, he said, “It was just last night that I got to know I had made it to the squad of 18. Earlier I was among the 24 being selected for the camp and I had no idea that I would make it all the way, but it feels great. I’ve just been in and out of tournaments and practice sessions for months, so I haven’t even had time to celebrate or register the news properly. All I know is that I’ve got to give my best in Japan.”
The first thing he did after making the cut in the India U-18 team was call his father Ashok Kumar. An RCF employee, Ashok Kumar himself played hockey for his team at the Rail Coach Factory in Kapurthala and has been a major inspiration for his son. A young player, Akashdeep, who turned 16 on May 1 this year, has been playing hockey for the past 8 to 9 years.
He said, “I started off at RCF itself. But you can’t really learn a sport unless you train at an academy. It was the Surjit Hockey Academy at Jalandhar where I found my calling for hockey and knew this was what I had to do for the rest of my life.” Akshdeep credits his coaches Yudhvir Singh and Avtar Singh at RCF, as well as his current coach Navjot Singh, for shaping him into the player he is today.
Akashdeep had earlier represented Punjab at the School National Games in Gwalior and Bhopal in the Under-14 category. He was part of the gold medal-winning Punjab team at the Sub-Junior Hockey Nationals held in Chennai in 2025 and earlier this year he also played the Sub-Junior Nationals at Rajgir in Bihar, following which he was selected for the Hockey India U-18 camp in Bhopal.
He says the fervent support of his parents, Ashok Kumar and Reena Devi, has been the firm foundation of his sporting achievements. Chuffed about his May-end flight to Japan for the Asia Cup—his first international outing in hockey—he says the celebrations are reserved for when he returns.
Akashdeep said, “We practice for hours day and night, a minimum of two to three sessions daily. I got the news of making it to the group of 24 while in Bihar and then practice sessions started in Bhopal. We have also been playing test matches against the Australia team that was here. Celebrations with my parents and coaches are still pending, but first we’ve got to put up our best in Japan.”
Dr Yogesh Kumar, Principal, Government Senior Secondary School, Ladowali Road, Jalandhar, said, “It’s a proud moment for us all. Akashdeep is a brilliant player who has kept the flag of our school’s hockey legacy flying high. We wish him all the best for his outings.”
The Tribune