Almost a decade ago, a young Baljeet Singh Dadhwal visited the Chandigarh Hockey Academy with his father Sarabjeet Singh. The boy knew why he was at the Academy. He even told this to his father: “I want to play for Chandigarh, and I want to play for India in the World Cup.”

After more than nine years, during which Dadhwal played for both Chandigarh and the Indian hockey team — he played an important role in India’s 2007 Asia Cup triumph — he is down with a career-threatening injury.

More than ten days have passed since the injury during a practice camp at Pune, but nobody from the Chandigarh Administration has inquired or offered any financial assistance to the Indian goalkeeper.

“We always dreamt of playing for Chandigarh, and will continue to do so. But it hurts when nobody, including the government officials and politicians, care to inquire about us,” an emotional Dhadwal, who is admitted in AIIMS, Delhi, told Newsline over phone. “We have played in the worst of our times and have never complained, but one expects them to at least treat us fairly in bad times.”

Dadhwal suffered the injury while practising with golf ball with national goalkeeping coach Romeo James. After the injury, he was airlifted to Delhi.

Doctors are non-committal about him recovering fully. “Doctors are observing the eye, and I haven’t lost hope. I know losing vision will be the worst thing, but we are still hopeful,” he said. “I was preparing for the European Tour...but it’s God’s will. I hope the team wins the tour.”

... contd.