The mercurial forward cited the example of Australia, Germany and Holland and South Korea, saying that these countries stick to one coach for well over decades which ultimately enhances their performances. In contrast, the IHF changes coaches as and when they like which goes to harm the performance of the player, he added.

``He is the best coach and his continuity with the team is better for hockey in the country," he added when queried about the present coach Kaushik.

Dhanraj also advocated to procurement of maximum synthetic surfaces in every city so that the budding players could get used to them right from the initiation. He cited the example of PCMC Poligras Stadium and BHA in Mumbai saying that they were hardly used for conducting big matches. The BHA ground did not witness a single international match since the last four years, he said adding that the PCMC ground, which also has water problems, has a similar case. On the Asian Games victory, he said that India has to sustain it by making hockey compulsory in schools and colleges.

Earlier, Pune Sports Journalist president Iqbal Shaikh presented a silver memento while PUWJ president Madhav Gokhale presented him with a shawl and coconut. Chairman of Narasyan Agro Limiteds and Blue Lagoon A V Narayan made an announcement on the occasion donating a plot of land for both Dhanraj Pillay and former Olympian Namrata Shah Nee Nasleen Madraswalla.