P R Sreejesh

Sreejesh to be honoured with Padma Bhushan, Ashwin named for Padma Shri

The President of India presents these Padma awards at ceremonial functions held at Rashtrapati Bhawan during March or April of each year

India edge past Malaysia 3-1, set to meet Pakistan in Junior Asia Cup final

Defending champions India stayed on course to reclaim a hat-trick of men's junior Asia Cup hockey titles, defeating Malaysia 3-1 to enter the final of the continental tournament here on Tuesday. Unbeaten so far in the tournament, India scored through Dilraj Singh (10th minute), Rohit (45th) and Sharda Nand Tiwari (52nd) to secure their place in the final. Malaysia's lone goal from a penalty stroke converted by Azimuddin Kamaruddin in the 57th minute. India will take on arch-rivals Pakistan in the blockbuster final on Wednesday. Pakistan defeated Japan 4-2 in the first semifinal. India might have taken the lead in the first quarter but it was a scrappy performance from the title holders. Malaysia were the early aggressors and had the better share of chances, including two penalty corners, which the Indians defended well. In the the third minute, Malaysia secured the first penalty corner of the match but the Indians defended well. Three minutes later, Malaysia earned their second

Sultan of Johor Cup: India extends winning streak with 6-4 win over GBR

Dilraj Singh and Sharda Nand Tiwari scored a brace each as the Indian junior men's hockey team continued its winning run, defeating Great Britain 6-4 in a high-scoring game at the Sultan of Johor Cup here on Sunday. Mohd Konain Dad (7th minute) opened India's account before Dilraj (17th, 50th), Sharda Nand (20th, 50th) struck. Manmeet Singh (26th) also scored for India, while Rory Penrose (2nd, 15th) and Michael Royden (46h, 59th) put their names on the scoreboard for Great Britain. High on confidence after their opening match win against Japan on Saturday, the Indian side continued in the same vein, and stamped its authority from the word go. Though they suffered an early setback, when a defensive error cost them dearly in the second minute of the game with Penrose scoring from Britain's first penalty corner, India bounced back in the seventh minute with a goal by Dad from a set piece. Great Britain, however, regained their lead in the 15th minute when Penrose scored his second g

Amir Ali to lead India's Jr Hockey team with coach Sreejesh in SJC

Amir Ali has been named captain, with Rohit as his deputy, in the 18-member junior hockey squad for the Sultan of Johor Cup that will mark the first assignment for head coach PR Sreejesh in Malaysia from October 19. India will begin their campaign against Japan on October 19, followed by matches against Great Britain (October 20), hosts Malaysia (Oct 22), Australia (Oct 23) and New Zealand (Oct 25). The top two teams will make the final slated for October 26. Defender Amir Ali and forward Gurjot Singh were part of the senior team that defended their title at the Asian Champions Trophy in Moqi, China. Amir seamlessly filled in for the injured defender Sanjay during the tournament, while Gurjot led the forward line, showcasing immense potential. "The Sultan of Johor Cup is an important tournament in our calendar as always. The tournament will serve as a litmus test for the team ahead of the Men's Junior Asia Cup Muscat 2024 in November this year," captain Ali stated in a Hockey Indi

Delhi franchise named PR Sreejesh as Director of Hockey for HIL 2025

Legendary Indian goalkeeper PR Sreejesh was on Friday named the Director of Hockey in the Delhi franchise for the upcoming Hockey India League. SG Sports, Media and Entertainment (SGSE), part of the APL Apollo Group, has acquired the Delhi team, to be named Delhi SG Pipers, for the HIL, which is set to be revived after a gap of seven years. The corporate house has bought both the men's and women teams of Delhi. The league will be held in two venues -- Rourkela (men) and Ranchi (women) -- and will begin on December 28. While the men's competition will have eight teams, six sides will feature in the women's event, which is being held for the first time. The league will be played from December 28 to February 1. The sport's world governing body, FIH, has given a sanction of 10 years for HIL. The player auction for the league will be held here from October 13 to 15. A total of 10 franchise owners have come on board. Tennis legend Mahesh Bhupathi is the CEO of the Delhi side. Having

FIH Hockey League will be a real test for goalies Krishna, Suraj: Sreejesh

Sreejesh, who called it quits from international level hockey after India's second successive bronze medal at the Paris Olympics, said that even though India secured the Asian Champions Trophy title

PR Sreejesh says every save he made in Paris Olympics was for his team

Retired hockey legend PR Sreejesh manned the Indian goal like a wall and made some crucial saves during the country's bronze-winning campaign at the recent Paris Olympics and he said each one of his efforts was made for the entire team and the nation. The 36-year-old Sreejesh, who retired from the game after a glorious 18-year international career, was nominated for the prestigious FIH Men's Goalkeeper of the Year Award 2024 after playing a pivotal role in India's campaign in the Olympics. "Every save I made in that tournament was not just about me; it was about the entire team and our country's support," Sreejesh said. "Being nominated for this award is a reflection of our collective spirit and the incredible journey we've had together. I hope my career inspires future generations to chase their dreams on the hockey field." The nomination is the latest in a series of accolades for the legendary goalkeeper, often referred to as the 'Great Wall of Indian Hockey.' In what was his fi

PM expresses gratitude in letter to retired Sreejesh, backs him as jr coach

Retired Indian hockey star P R Sreejesh has shared a letter that he received from Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently in which the leader has lauded the former goalkeeper for his service to the game and expressed confidence in his ability to be "impactful" as the new national junior coach. Sreejesh called time on his illustrious 15-year career after India's bronze-winning Paris Olympic campaign, which was the his and the team's second successive Games medal after the bronze in Tokyo. Known as 'The Wall' for his impeccable skills in front of the goalpost, Sreejesh was instrumental in guiding the team through remarkable successes, including two Asian Games gold medals, and two Champions Trophy silver medals. Following his retirement, Hockey India appointed Sreejesh as the head coach of the junior men's team and he vowed to make India a "powerhouse in hockey". Confident of Sreejesh's impact as junior team coach, PM Modi wrote: "I am sure your work in the new role will be as impactfu

Asian Hockey Champions Trophy 2024 HIGHLIGHTS: India beat China 3-0 to start their title defense

Asian Hockey Champions Trophy 2024 HIGHLIGHTS: Malaysia held Pakistan to a 2-2 draw after going 0-2 down in 2nd quarter.

PM Modi invites Paris Olympics heroes at his residence, lauds their efforts

Earlier in the day, India's Olympic medal winners were also invited as a special guests at the Red Fort

Sreejesh ranks Tokyo Bronze above Paris, feels they should have won Gold

A proud owner of two consecutive Olympic medals, Indian hockey star P R Sreejesh says the bronze claimed in Tokyo three years ago is closer to his heart than the one fetched in Paris as the former was like a mythical tale coming true after decades of merely hearing about it. The 36-year-old goalkeeper, who bid adieu to his international career at the end of India's Paris campaign, was, in fact, a shade disappointed with the colour of the medal this time as he felt the team should have done better. "Tokyo for sure because we won an Olympic medal after a long time. Earlier we used to hear what an Olympic medal means as hockey has a rich history of gold, silver and bronze medals. But it never came in our hands. So when we got it for the first time, that was a moment," Sreejesh told PTI editors at its headquarters when asked to make the difficult choice here on Tuesday. "That time we were not sure about winning a medal but this time we were in top six and capable of beating any team. Bu

Hockey India names PR Sreejesh junior coach; retires his No 16 jersey

Hockey India on Wednesday decided to retire the jersey number of goalkeeping stalwart P R Sreejesh at the senior level after he bid adieu to the game following his starring role in the country's second consecutive Olympic bronze at the just-concluded Paris Games. Hockey India secretary general Bhola Nath Singh said going forward no senior team player will be given the number 16 jersey although it will remain in circulation at the junior level. He also announced that the affable 36-year-old, who competed for nearly two decades, will take up the role of the junior national coach. "Sreejesh is now going to be the junior team coach and we are retiring the No. 16 jersey for the senior team. We are not retiring No. 16 for the junior team," said Singh at a felicitation function for the veteran and other members of the team. "Sreejesh dusra Sreejesh ko paida karega in junior team (Sreejesh will groom someone like him in the junior team who will wear the No.16 jersey)," he added. The playe

PR Sreejesh is set to take up India junior coach role after retirement

The 'Great Wall of Indian Hockey' PR Sreejesh will soon be seen in a new role following his retirement from the sport, with Hockey India set to announce him as the coach of the junior national team. Sreejesh, 36, brought the curtain down on his illustrious goalkeeping career following India's victory over Spain in the bronze-medal match on Thursday. Sreejesh, whose glorious 18-year-long career saw India clinch two Olympic bronze medals (2020 Tokyo and 2024 Paris), is regarded as the best-ever hockey goalkeeper the country has produced. "Yes, we will appoint Sreejesh as the men's junior team coach (under-21) in a few days. We have discussed this with him and there is no one better than him to guide and nurture the youngsters," Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey told PTI from Paris. "He has extraordinary capabilities, which he showed in Paris against Britain. Not just that, he will also be guiding the younger generations of goalkeepers," added Tirkey. Hockey India also wants Sreeje

Olympics: Sreejesh joins Bhaker as India's flag-bearer in closing ceremony

Celebrated hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh will join star shooter Manu Bhaker as the flag-bearer of the Indian contingent in the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games here on Sunday, a fitting honour and recognition for his contributions to the team. Before homing in on Sreejesh, Indian Olympic Association (IOA) chief PT Usha spoke with Neeraj Chopra, and she said even the superstar javelin thrower wanted to see the retiring legend as flag-bearer. Chopra claimed a silver here to become the first Indian track and field athlete to win two Olympic medals. He won a historic gold in the Tokyo edition three years ago. "I spoke with Neeraj Chopra and appreciate the spontaneity and grace with which he agreed that Sreejesh should be the flag-bearer at the Closing Ceremony," Usha said in a statement. "He told me 'Ma'am, even if you had not asked me, I would have suggested Sree bhai's name'. It is reflective of the immense respect Neeraj has for Sreejesh and his contribution to Indian sport," s

It has been nothing short of extraordinary: Sreejesh ahead of farewell tie

Hours before his last hurrah, celebrated India hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh described his international career as "nothing short of extraordinary" and expressed his gratitude to the countrymen for believing in him. The 36-year-old from Kerala will hope to end his illustrious 18-year-long career with a medal when he steps on to the field for one last time along with his teammates in the bronze playoff against Spain in the Paris Olympics. "As I stand between the posts for the final time, my heart swells with gratitude and pride. This journey, from a young boy with a dream to the man defending India's honour, has been nothing short of extraordinary," he wrote on 'X'. "Today, I play my last match for India. Every save, every dive, every roar of the crowd will forever echo in my soul. Thank you, India, for believing in me, for standing by me. This is not the end, but the beginning of cherished memories. "Forever a custodian of dreams." Sreejesh had announced his retirement plans ahead

Olympics: Sreejesh's masterclass takes India to consecutive semifinals

A battle-hardened PR Sreejesh gave a big fillip to the Indian hockey team's aspirations of winning a second consecutive Olympic medal with his splendid shootout saves in a 4-2 victory over Great Britain that earned his side a place in the semifinals of the Paris Games here Sunday. Playing most of the match without key defender Amit Rohidas, who was shown a red card for hitting a rival player with his stick, the team did extremely well to hold Great Britain to 1-1 in regulation time. Great Britain dominated possession and played with man-to-man marking, not allowing India to attack much. In the absence of Rohidas, Manpreet Singh, who plays in mid-field, was asked to man the defence. Reduced to 10 men on the pitch, India could not play scoop balls, a strategy that worked for the side in previous matches, but it managed to escape without getting hurt. It all boiled down to how Sreejesh would perform and the veteran goalkeeper did not disappoint, blocking the third and fourth attempts

Paris Olympics 2024: India schedule on July 27, live time (IST), streaming

From Satwik-Chirag in Badminton to India vs New Zealand hockey match: Check India schedule, live match timings on Day 1 of Olympics 2024

Veteran Indian goalkeeper PR Sreejesh to retire after Paris Olympics 2024

Veteran goalkeeper and former India hockey captain P R Sreejesh on Monday announced that Paris Olympics will be his last international outing. The 36-year-old, a veteran of 328 International caps, three Olympic Games, and multiple Commonwealth Games and World Cups, will be playing in his fourth Olympic Games. The latest edition of the showpiece begins on July 26. "As I prepare for my last dance in Paris, I look back with immense pride and forward with hope," Sreejesh said in a Hockey India press release. "This journey has been nothing short of extraordinary, and I am forever grateful for the love and support from my family, teammates, coaches, fans and Hockey India. Thank you for believing in me," he added. "My teammates have stood beside through the tough and the ardent times. We all want to give our absolute best here in Paris and certainly, the desire is to change the colour of our medal." Having made his debut at the 2010 World Cup, Sreejesh has been a part of various memorabl

Superb Sreejesh fails to save India from losing 1-2 against Australia

Veteran goalkeeper PR Sreejesh's heroics went in vain as India squandered a goal lead to go down 1-2 against Australia in the third men's hockey Test to hand the home team an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series here on Wednesday. The Indians, who lost 1-5 and 2-4 in the first two Tests, produced a much-better show on Wednesday with the defensive unit leading from the front. It was a classic battle between the ever-attacking Australians against the Indian defence, which the latter narrowly lost eventually. India took the lead through Jugraj Singh's penalty corner conversion in the 41st minute, but Jeremy Hayward (44th and 49th) dashed the visitors' hopes by scoring a brace to hand Australia their third win on the trot. India played cohesively and with a lot more intensity to frustrate the Kookaburras, who secured as many as six penalty corners in the opening quarter but failed to get past the resolute defence of the visitors. Credit must go to both Indian goalkeepers --

FIH Pro League: Sreejesh hands India win over Netherlands in shootout

Veteran goalkeeper PR Sreejesh turned out to be the saviour as the Indian men's hockey team defeated world number one Netherlands 4-2 via a shoot-out in the FIH Pro League here on Sunday. Sreejesh made three fine saves in the shoot-out to hand India the bonus two points after both the teams were locked at 2-2 at the end of regulation 60 minutes. Netherlands took one points from the match. In the shoot-out, skipper Harmanpreet Singh, Sukhjeet Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay and Shamsher Singh scored for world number three India. In the regulation time, Hardik Singh (13th minute) and Harmanpreet (58th) found the net for India, while Jip Janssen (30th) and Koen Bijen scored for the Dutch. Netherlands put the home team defence under pressure in the initial eight minutes of the match with play mostly restricted to the Indian circle. But the Indian defence dished out a solid performance to weather the initial storm. The Indians initially failed to keep possession of the ball but gained in