Kapurthala: Against all odds, hockey Olympian Krishna B Pathak left his imprint

Aakanksha N Bhardwaj

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Tribune News Service

Kapurthala, August 12

Krishna B Pathak (22), a member of the hockey team that won the Olympic medal after 41 years, was part of the team — an extra goalkeeper. Originally from Nepal, Pathak has been living in Kapurthala since he was very young. He lost his parents early in his life, and now lives with his paternal uncle at the RCF in Kapurthala.

Mohd Asim, a hockey coach at the RCF, was the first one to recognise the talent in Pathak.

“I have never seen such a hard-working player. Pathak has struggled a lot in his life, but he still stood up and reached this stage at such a young age,” he said.

“One day, Pathak’s paternal uncle visited me and asked if I could train him in the sport. I immediately said yes and observed him. I was impressed by his dedication towards the game. He was so pro,” the first coach shared.

The proud coach said next time in 2024, he would be the lead goalkeeper. Today, the hockey star was felicitated by the district administration.

He studied at the Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala, and after getting initial training at the academy in the RCF, he received the coaching from Surjit Hockey Academy, Jalandhar, to represent the hockey team as a goalkeeper.

While sharing the experience, Pathak said the team had been working tirelessly for the last four years at the Sports Authority of India Centre in Bengaluru. He spent almost two years at the coaching centre due to strict health guidelines issued during the Covid-19, during which only training was given.

Pathak, who is currently working in Indian Oil, said these historic moments have come about due to the hard work of the team and the prayers of millions of people.

The Deputy Commissioner said the great performance of the country’s athletes in the Olympics has made the whole country proud. This will not only promote sports culture in the country but also help in harnessing the energy of the youth.

International coach Ripudaman Singh who was also associated with Pathak since his young age said he has seen the boy grow into a talented goalkeeper.

“We had seen a lot of potential in him after which he was enrolled in Surjit Hockey Academy,” he said.