PR Sreejesh sets aside cricket vs hockey comparisons after PM Modi says, ‘Hockey carries a special emotion’

In cricket-crazy India, it’s easy for hockey stars to be overshadowed—but PR Sreejesh is proving otherwise. Hockey India kicked off a month-long celebration marking 100 years of the sport, honoring a legacy that includes eight Olympic golds, a silver, and four bronzes.

Despite India’s golden era between 1928 and 1959, hockey faced a steep decline, even missing the 2008 Olympics. But the last decade has seen a remarkable comeback. Sreejesh was at the heart of it, standing tall in goal as India ended a 41-year Olympic medal drought during the pandemic-hit Games and repeated the feat in Paris three years later. His heroic saves remain etched in fans’ memories, a reminder that hockey’s spirit is as strong as ever.