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P. R. Sreejesh

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P. R. Sreejesh
Sreejesh in August 2024
Personal information
Full nameParattu Raveendran Sreejesh
NicknameGreat Wall of India [1]
Born (1988-05-08) 8 May 1988 (age 36)
Kochi, Kerala, India
Field hockey career
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight 90 kg (198 lb)
Playing position Goalkeeper
Club information
Current club Physical Education & Sports, Kerala
Senior career
Years Team
2005–2011 Chandigarh Comets
2011–2013 Indian Overseas Bank
2013–2014 Mumbai Magicians
2015–2017 Uttar Pradesh Wizards
2017–2024 Physical Education & Sports, Kerala
National team
Years Team Caps Goals
2004–2006 India U21
2006–2024 India 336 (0)
Coaching career
2024–present India U21
Medal record
Men's field hockey
Representing  India
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 2020 Tokyo Team
Bronze medal – third place 2024 Paris Team
Pro League
Bronze medal – third place 2021–22 Rotterdam Team
World League
Bronze medal – third place 2014–15 Raipur Team
Asian Games
Gold medal – first place 2014 Incheon Team
Gold medal – first place 2022 Hangzhou Team
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Jakarta Team
Asian Indoor Games
Bronze medal – third place 2007 Macau Team
Asia Cup
Silver medal – second place 2013 Ipoh Team
Champions Trophy
Silver medal – second place 2016 London Team
Silver medal – second place 2018 Breda Team
Asian Champions Trophy
Gold medal – first place 2011 Ordos City Team
Gold medal – first place 2016 Kuantan Team
Gold medal – first place 2018 Muscat Team
Gold medal – first place 2023 Chennai Team
Silver medal – second place 2012 Doha Team
Commonwealth Games
Silver medal – second place 2014 Glasgow Team
Silver medal – second place 2022 Birmingham Team
Junior Asia Cup
Gold medal – first place 2008 Hyderabad Team

Parattu Raveendran Sreejesh (born 8 May 1988) is an Indian field hockey coach and former player. He was the captain of the national team and played as a goalkeeper.[2] Since 2024, he is the head coach of the India men's national U-21 team. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest goal keepers in the history of field hockey.[3] Sreejesh played a vital role in the Indian national team's bronze medal wins at the 2020 and 2024 Summer Olympics.[4] He won the best male goalkeeper award at the FIH Awards in 2020, 2022, and 2024.[5]

He was a part of the teams that won gold at the 2014 and 2022 Asian Games.[6] Sreejesh played for the Mumbai Magicians and Uttar Pradesh Wizards in Hockey India League.

Early life

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Sreejesh was born 8 May 1988, in Kizhakkambalam, a suburb of Kochi in the state of Kerala, to P. V. Raveendran and Usha, a family of farmers. He completed his primary education in St. Antony's Lower Primary School in Kizhakkambalam and he studied until the sixth standard in St. Joseph's High School in Kizhakkambalam. His brother Sreejith lives in Canada.[7][8]

As a kid, he trained as a sprinter, before moving on to long jump and volleyball. At 12, he joined the GV Raja Sports School in Thiruvananthapuram. This was where his coach suggested that he take up goalkeeping.[9][10] He became a professional after he was picked by hockey coach Jayakumar at the school, following which he played at the school before playing at the Nehru Cup.[11] He completed his graduation in History from Sree Narayana College, Chempazhanthy, Kerala.[12]

In 2019, the Government of India awarded him the fourth highest civilian award Padma Shri for his work in the field of sports.[13][14]

Career

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International career

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Sreejesh made the Junior national team in 2004, in a match against Australia in Perth, in 2004. He made his debut in the senior national team in 2006, at the South Asian Games in Colombo.[10] Following India's win at the 2008 Junior Asia Cup, he was awarded the 'Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament'.[15] Having been a part of the Indian team for six years, though often losing his place to senior goalkeepers, Adrian D'Souza and Bharat Chettri,[16] he has been a regular member since 2011, after saving two penalty stroke in the Asian Champions Trophy Final in Ordos City, China, against Pakistan, a match-winning performance.[9] His second 'Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament' award came at the 2013 Asia Cup, with India finishing second in the tournament. He was a part of the team that won silver medals at the

Sreejesh had earlier played for India at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, and then World Cup in 2014. At the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, he starred in Indian's gold medal win, when he saved two penalty strokes against Pakistan in the final.[17] At the 2014 Champions Trophy and 2018 Champions Trophy, he was adjudged "Goalkeeper of the Tournament".[18] Following impressive performances in 2014, he was nominated for the award of Best Male Goalkeeper; he eventually lost to Jaap Stockmann of the Netherlands.[19] He was the captain of the team that won the silver medal at the 2016 Men's Hockey Champions Trophy held at London.

On 13 Jul 2016, Sreejesh took over as captain of the Indian hockey team from Sardar Singh.

At the 2016 Olympics in Rio, Sreejesh led the Indian hockey team to the quarterfinals of the tournament .[20]

At the Tokyo Olympics, on 5 August 2021, Sreejesh played a key role in defeating Germany to clinch the bronze medal for India, their first Olympic medal in hockey for 41 years.[21][22]

Sreejesh was a part of the team that won 2022 Commonwealth Games Silver, 2023 Asian Champion Trophy tite and 2022 Asian Games hockey Gold medal.

He was also played a key role in India's bronze-medal winning journey at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.[23] He retired from his international career post the Olympics games.[24]

Club career

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At the auction of the inaugural season of the Hockey India League, Sreejesh was bought by the Mumbai franchise for US$38,000. He played two seasons for their team, Mumbai Magicians.[25] In 2014, he was bought by Uttar Pradesh Wizards for US$69,000 and since the 2015 season, has been playing for them.[26] PR Sreejesh became the second Indian to win the "World Athlete of the Year" after Rani Rampal.

Personal life

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Sreejesh married his longtime girlfriend Aneeshya, a former long jumper and an Ayurveda doctor. Their daughter Anusree was born in 2014.[27] Their son Sreeansh was born in 2017. He is currently employed as a Joint Director with the Government of Kerala's Department of General and Higher Education. Sreejesh is a member of Rotary Club of Kizhakkambalam, District 3201.

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Result Ref(s)
2014 FIH Awards Male Goalkeeper of the Year Nominated
2016 Nominated
2017 Padma Sri Distinguished Contribution in Sports Won [28][29]
2020–2021 FIH Awards Male Goalkeeper of the Year Won [30]
2021 Khel Ratna Award Spectacular Performance in the Field of Sports Won [31]
2022 World Games Awards Athlete of the Year Won [32]
2022 FIH Awards Male Goalkeeper of the Year Won [33]
2024 Won [34]

References

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  1. ^ "PR Sreejesh: The Great Wall of Indian Hockey who helped India script history in Paris Olympics". The Economic Times. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  2. ^ Team GB’s hockey hurt goes on after painful Olympic defeat by 10-man India - The Guardian, 4 August 2024
  3. ^ "Sreejesh Parattu Raveendran". Hockey India. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  4. ^ "Meet PR Sreejesh, India's talismanic goalkeeper who led them to first Olympic medal in 41 years". India Today. Archived from the original on 6 August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  5. ^ "Hockey: India sweeps FIH annual awards". The Times of India. 6 October 2021. Archived from the original on 3 April 2024. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  6. ^ "Asian Games Results". 2022 Asian Games, Hangzhou. Archived from the original on 8 October 2023. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  7. ^ "P. R. Sreejesh Wiki, Height, Age, Wife, Family, Biography & More". Biography India. 7 August 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  8. ^ "As PR Sreejesh signs off with Paris 2024 bronze, big family get together in Kizhakkambalam with nervous waiting and unni appams".
  9. ^ a b "SHOT stopper". The Hindu. 7 November 2013. Archived from the original on 6 August 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  10. ^ a b "Indian hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh gets married to former long jumper Alisha". sportskeeda.com. 13 May 2013. Archived from the original on 26 December 2019. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  11. ^ "Goalie extraordinaire". The Hindu. 2 August 2008. Archived from the original on 4 August 2024. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  12. ^ "Parattu Raveendran Sreejesh profile". incheon2014ag.org. Archived from the original on 29 September 2014. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  13. ^ "Padma Awards 2017 announced". pib.gov.in. Archived from the original on 15 August 2020. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  14. ^ "List of Padma awardees 2017". The Hindu. 25 January 2017. Archived from the original on 27 February 2021. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  15. ^ "Diwakar Ram in the spotlight". Sportstar. 2 August 2008. Archived from the original on 27 October 2013. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  16. ^ "The solitary keeper". The Indian Express. 14 March 2013. Archived from the original on 26 August 2021. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  17. ^ "Asian Games: India beat Pakistan to clinch gold, qualify for Rio Olympics". Deccan Chronicle. 2 October 2014. Archived from the original on 5 October 2014. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  18. ^ "PR Sreejesh Hopes to Live up to Expectations in Hockey India League 2015". NDTV. 29 December 2014. Archived from the original on 9 August 2016. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  19. ^ "FIH announce the winners of the FIH 2014 Player of the Year". fih.ch. 15 January 2015. Archived from the original on 26 August 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  20. ^ "Hockey India removes Sardar Singh as captain, Sreejesh to lead at Rio Olympics". The Hindu. 13 July 2016. Archived from the original on 12 July 2016. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
  21. ^ "മലയാളി മെഡൽ; ശ്രീജേഷിലൂടെ ഹോക്കിയിൽ ഇന്ത്യയ്ക്ക് അഭിമാന വെങ്കലം". Mathrubhumi (in Malayalam). 5 August 2021. Archived from the original on 26 August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  22. ^ "Olympic bronze medallist hockey star PR Sreejesh has a road named after him in Kerala". 5 August 2021. Archived from the original on 5 August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  23. ^ "PR Sreejesh: The Great Wall of Indian Hockey who helped India script history in Paris Olympics". The Economic Times. 8 August 2024. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
  24. ^ "PR Sreejesh : The hockey legend who stood tall in cricket-mad India". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
  25. ^ "Hockey India League will boost Indian hockey: Sreejesh". The New Indian Express. 9 January 2013. Archived from the original on 17 April 2013. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  26. ^ "Sreejesh hopes to live up to expectations in Hockey India League". The Times of India. 29 December 2014. Archived from the original on 30 December 2014. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  27. ^ "Indian hockey goalkeeper Sreejesh blessed with a baby girl". suhridsports.blogspot.in. 1 July 2014. Archived from the original on 16 April 2017. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  28. ^ "Padma Awards 2017 announced". pib.gov.in. Archived from the original on 15 August 2020. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  29. ^ "List of Padma awardees 2017". The Hindu. 25 January 2017. Archived from the original on 27 February 2021. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  30. ^ "Indian hockey players sweep FIH Stars Awards". Olympics.
  31. ^ "National Sports Awards 2021: Neeraj Chopra, Lovlina Borgohain, Mithali Raj Among 9 Others to Get Khel Ratna". News18. 2 November 2021. Archived from the original on 3 November 2021. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  32. ^ "Sreejesh becomes the second Indian to get World Athlete Of The Year Award". The Hindu. 31 January 2022. Archived from the original on 31 January 2022. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  33. ^ "India's PR Sreejesh, Savita Punia voted FIH Men's and Women's Goalkeepers of Year". India Today. 5 October 2022. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  34. ^ "FIH Awards: Harmanpreet Singh wins Men's Player of the Year, PR Sreejesh bags Goalkeeper of the Year". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
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