Bhubaneswar: It was just another day at the camp in May 2022 when India international from Odisha, Shilanand Lakra, was taking part in a five-a-side game in Bengaluru ahead of the FIH Pro League, where he was supposed to play.
By then, he had already played 28 games for the senior side and was in contention for the Commonwealth Games, too, later in the year. However, tragedy struck as he twisted his left leg on that fateful day and needed an ACL, PCL and meniscus surgery to fix the damaged ligaments and cartilage in his knee.
“It was one of the worst times of my life and I pray to the Almighty so that no player has to go through such an injury ever in their career,” said Shilanand.
But that was not all. The same year in September, he lost his father too. “He was a mason and fell while working in 2021 September and needed surgery on his back and spinal cord. It wasn’t successful and he finally passed away a year later,” he added.
So not only did he have to work on his recovery in Bengaluru but also had to take care of his mother and sister, who recently completed her graduation and is preparing for B.Ed. As expected, it wasn’t easy but he had the support of his coaches, teammates, and family.
“Birendra Lakra had helped me financially. Amit Rohidas and Nilam Sanjeep Xess also kept telling me to not worry and to focus on rehabilitation. So, it made a huge difference and I was finally back on the turf in 2023,” added the 25-year-old.
Making a return, he played in the National Games in Goa and then the National Championships. But since he wasn’t getting a call-up to the national camp, he decided to play in Hockey One in Australia for HC Melbourne in 2024.
Eventually, he pulled out and took part in the senior national inter-department meet where his good showing for Petroleum Sports Promotion Board caught the selectors’ attention and he finally got a call-up to the India team for the double-header against Germany in New Delhi last year.
And since then, he hasn’t looked back.
First, he helped Odisha bag the national title and then played for Hyderabad Toofans in the Hockey India League. And now he is part of the FIH Pro League campaign and was part of India’s second game against Spain that they won 2-0 on Sunday.
However, his longtime coach at SAIL Academy in Rourkela Raju Kant Saini believes he still has to work on certain areas to cement his place in the team. “He makes good positions for himself, he is quick with the ball and gives good passes but he needs to be more alert inside the D and score the goals,” said Saini, who has been coaching since 2004.
More game time and national camps will surely take care of it. For now, it’s good to see him back in the national colours once again and he is ready to give it all.