Hockey For Change: The man who changed the fortunes of the Shahbad girls – Coach Baldev Singh  

For the last two decades or even more, there is no Indian women’s hockey team – across the age groups – that has left the Indian shores without a girl from Shahbad in its rank. In the recently concluded Tokyo Olympics, the Indian women’s hockey team was led by Shahbad’s Rani Rampal and Navyot Kaur and Navneet Kaur were the other two from the town, who were part of the Tokyo-bound squad.  

Shahbad, a town on the Delhi-Chandigarh highway, in between Kurukshtera and Ambala, has got a prominence in the women’s hockey world map and hockey is helping the girls in the area to live a decent life.

The sport is playing a pivotal role in transforming the lives of the girls, especially coming from a humble background, and it could all be possible because of hockey coach Baldev Singh – The man behind the success of the Shahbad girls.  

“Baldev sir has played and still playing an instrumental role in strengthening the girls in Shahbad through hockey. What we (referring to the girls who have made it to the Indian squad) have achieved today is all because of him,” says former international hockey player Jasjeet Kaur. “Because of hockey many girls have got jobs in various government departments under the sports quota. Now they are independent and even helped their families in uplifting their socioeconomic status,” added Jasjeet, who was also conferred with the Arjuna award.

Over the years, 60-70 girls from Shahabad have played at international-level and over 150 girls have got jobs through sports quota. “I am happy that I am able to change the lives of the girls through hockey,” says Dronacharya awardee coach Baldev Singh, who retired as a deputy director from the Haryana Sports Department. “It’s the dedication, determination and hunger to be something in their life that is helping the girls to achieve big in the sporting world,” says the coach.