New Delhi: At just 20, Indian junior men’s hockey striker Dilraj Singh is scripting a journey that reflects grit, sacrifice and an unshakeable belief in individuality. From a mischievous schoolboy trying to avoid studies to one of India’s most promising young forwards, Dilraj’s rise mirrors the spirit of modern Indian hockey.
Hailing from Jodha Singh village near Batala in Gurdaspur district, Punjab, Dilraj’s first brush with hockey came almost by chance. Watching his cousin play the game, he picked up a stick and began training at Ghuman Kalan (locally known as Bade Ghuman) under coach Kulwinder Singh. His early days were spent as a goalkeeper, a position his family struggled to support financially. “The goalkeeper’s kit was very expensive. My mother even sold her jewellery to arrange it for me,” Dilraj recalls.
His journey through positions—goalkeeper to midfielder and finally striker—was driven by instinct and ambition. “I realised that strikers get the most chances to score and stay in the spotlight. That’s when I decided this is where I belong,” he says.
That decision paid rich dividends at the Junior Men’s Hockey World Cup in Chennai, where Dilraj announced himself on the global stage. He struck five goals in the opening two pool matches against Chile and Oman, helping India finish second in Pool B. He went on to score crucial goals in the quarter-final against Belgium and the bronze-medal match against Argentina, playing a decisive role in India’s podium finish.
Dilraj later honed his skills at the Surjit Hockey Academy under coach Avatar Singh and earned a place in the India junior national camp in 2023. While the semi-final loss to Germany still hurts, he believes the bronze medal victory over Argentina has opened new doors for his career.
Now, his focus is firmly set on the future. “I am desperate to earn a place in the Indian senior men’s hockey team,” Dilraj says. “To score against top teams like Germany, Belgium and Argentina, I need to keep sharpening my skills, especially to break tight man-to-man marking.”
What sets him apart is his clarity of purpose. “I don’t want to be a striker like anyone else. I want to be a striker like myself,” he asserts. “One day, I want people to say they want to play like Dilraj Singh.”
Inspired by senior players such as Varun Kumar, part of India’s Tokyo 2020 Olympic bronze-winning team, and Gurjantpreet Singh from the Paris 2024 bronze-winning squad, Dilraj is determined to take Indian hockey a step further. “India has won bronze in the last two Olympics. My dream is to help change the colour of that medal and make it shine even brighter,” he says.
With raw talent, a fearless mindset and an unwavering hunger to improve, Dilraj Singh stands poised to be a name that defines the next chapter of Indian hockey.
