Little Nilakanta bows out bravely

As Indian hockey bids farewell to one of its most dependable midfielders Nilakanta Sharma 31 who called time on his international career after Indiarsquos Asian Champions Trophy ACT triumph in Punjab last week one particular quality apart from his discipline resilience and immense contribution to Indian hockeyrsquos resurgence will remain synonymous with the Manipur lad mdash braveryThis bravery was evident not just in the countless tackles he made against international opponents who were almost always taller than him Nilakanta stands just five feet four inches but also when he chose to speak out about the burning issues in his home state right in the middle of an important international tournamentDuring the 2023 Asian Champions Trophy in Chennai August 312 Manipur was gripped by ethnic violence between the majority Meitei community and the tribal Kuki community The conflict which had erupted in May that year had plunged the state into turmoil While many prominent citizens were hesitant to speak publicly about the situation Nilakanta then the only Manipuri player in the Indian team did not mince his wordsHe appealed directly to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address the crisis ldquoMain sirf itna bolna chahta hoon ki Modi sir kuch bole apne liye Baaki mere bolne se kuch nahi hone wala Modi sir kuch bolenge tabhi kuch hoga otherwise mere bolne se ya mere rone se kuch nahi hoga I only want to say that Modi sir should say something for us Only then will something happen Nothing will change if I speak or even cry hererdquo Nilakanta told me after a lengthy training session at Egmorersquos Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium His comments did not go down well with some members of the sportrsquos national governing body Hockey India but that did not deter him It said a lot about the courageous character of the manOn the hockey field too Nilakanta was never one to shy away from responsibility A member of Indiarsquos historic bronze medalwinning campaign at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics he played a significant role in the memorable 54 win over Germany in the bronzemedal playoffWith India trailing 01 early in the contest Nilakanta spearheaded a counterattack and produced a delightful pass for Simranjeet Singh to score the equaliser in the 17th minute It was more than just a goal It was a statement of intent that the Indians were capable of going toetotoe with the mighty Germans That equaliser gave the Manpreet Singhled team renewed belief and India eventually scripted history by ending a 41year wait for an Olympic hockey medalFor someone who had risen from the small village of Kontha Ahallup in Manipurrsquos Imphal East district reaching the biggest stage in world sport was undoubtedly one of the defining highlights of his careerNilakanta first made his mark in junior hockey winning the 2015 Jr Asia Cup before playing a crucial role in Indiarsquos triumph at the 2016 FIH Jr World Cup in Lucknow He made his senior India debut against Belgium in 2017 His understanding of the game tireless work rate and ability to contribute at both ends of the pitch made him an important part of Team India over the yearsA 2021 Arjuna Award recipient Nilakanta made 163 international appearances His achievements include the 2018 ACT title the 2019 FIH Series Finals win silver at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games and gold at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou He also represented India at three World Cups mdash 2018 2023 and 2026Mumbai has played an important role in Nilakantarsquos hockey journey In his early 20s he spent a few years in the city employed with Western Railway as a Ticket Collector He lived in Matunga and worked at Charni Road station He enjoyed playing tournaments like the Mumbai Hockey Associationrsquos Super Division and the Guru Tegh Bahadur Cup among others at the MHALrsquos Mahindra Stadium in Churchgate His association with Mumbai hockey also gave me an opportunity to discover his lighter sideI once asked him a rather cheeky question Had he ever chased down and caught any WTs withoutticket travellersldquoOh yes Irsquove caught many but Irsquove not had to chase down anyonerdquo he replied with a laughJokes apart Nilakantarsquos decision to retire is another demonstration of his courage and clarity of thought With India head coach Craig Fulton looking to usher in a major transition in preparation for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics Nilakanta felt it was the right time to make way for the next generation And though his parents were not in favour of him quitting just yet Nilakanta decided to give up his India blue shirthellip or is it the saffron onemiddayrsquos Sports Editor Ashwin Ferro loves to play ball fair and square and everywhere He tweets ashwinferroSend your feedback to mailbagmiddaycomThe views expressed in this column are the individualrsquos and donrsquot represent those of the paper