PERSONAL

Date of Birth July 15, 1968

Height 172 cm / 5' 8"

Weight 64 kg / 141 lb

Birthplace Kirkee (Pune), Maharashtra

Marital Status Single

Languages Tamil (mother tongue)Hindi, Marathi, English

Occupation Assistant Manager,Indian Airlines

Address in India

A/10 Nikhil ApartmentsBhau Patil RoadBopodi, Pune 411003Maharashtra

Miscellaneous Only Indian to play in:4 Olympics, 4 World Cups, 4 Champions Trophies4 Asian Games, 4 Asia Cups

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Personal life

Dhanraj was born as the fourth son of Nagalingam Pillay and Andanamma on

July 16, 1968 at Kirkee in Maharashtra. A bachelor, he lives in Powai

Early life

Pillay spent his youth in the Ordinance Factory staff colony in ,where his father

was a groundsman. Playing on the soft, muddy surface of the OFK ground with

his brothers and friends from the colony, he learnt his skills with broken sticks

and discarded hockey balls, imitating the style of legendary forward and idol,

Mohammed Shahid. His mother, whom he gives all the credit for his greatness,

encouraged all her five sons to play hockey despite leading a hand-to-mouth

existence. Dhanraj moved to Mumbai in the mid-eighties to join his elder brother

Ramesh, who was playing for RCF in the Mumbai league. Ramesh had already

played for India in international matches, and his guidance helped Dhanraj

develop as a potent, speedy striker. He then moved over to Mahindra &

Mahindra where he was tutored by India defender, Joaquim Carvalho.

Debut

Dhanraj Pillay's debut in international hockey was in 1989 when he represented

the nation on the Allwyn Asia Cup in New Delhi.

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International Career

Dhanraj Pillay, whose career spanned from Dec 1989-Aug 2004 played 339

international matches. The Indian Hockey Federation keeps no official statistics

for the goals scored. There is no credible information on the number of

International goals scored by Dhanraj. He reckons it is more than 170, but a

leading hockey statistician insists it is closer to 120.

He is the only player to have played in four Olympics (1992, 96, 00, 04), four

World Cups (1990, 94, 98, 02), four Champions Trophies (1995, 96, 02, 03) and

four Asian Games (1990, 94, 98, 02). India won the Asian Games (1998) and

Asia Cup (2003) under his captaincy . He was also the highest goal scorer in the

Bangkok Asian Games and was the only Indian player to figure in the World

Eleven side during the 1994 World Cup at Sydney.

Club Hockey

He has also played for foreign clubs like the Indian Gymkhana (London), FC

Lyon (France), Selangor (Kuala Lumpur), Abhahani Limited (Dhaka) and

Stuttgart Kickers (Stuttgart).He was also the highest goal scorer in the Bangkok

Asian Games and was the only Indian player to figure in the World Eleven side

during the 1994 World Cup at Sydney. Toward the end of his career Dhanraj

played in the Premier Hockey League for the Maratha Warriors for 2 seasons.

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Awards

He is the recipient of India's highest sporting honour, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel

Ratna award for the year 1999-2000. He was awarded the Padma Shri, a civilian

award in 2000. Dhanraj is one of the most gifted forwards of his era with a small

frame and flowing locks, he could wreak havoc in rival defences. He was the

winning captain of the victorious Asian Games 2002 hockey team. He was

awarded the player of the tournament award in the 2002 Champions trophy held

at Cologne Germany.

Pillay is currently involved in trying to start a hockey academy at Bombay . To

raise funds for his academy he is heading a drive to collect empty plastic printer

cartridges in Bombay and sell them to a European recycling firm.

Controversies

Dhanraj is often describes as mercurial and has had his share of controversies.

Time and again he has vented this ire against the Hockey Management. He was

not selected for the Indian team after the triumph at the Busan asiad. The official

reason given was that Dhanraj and 6 other senior players were rested. But it was

largely seen as a retaliation for his outburst against the management for

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improper reception and non -payment of match fees. He protested against the

low team stipend on overseas tours before the 1998 series against Pakistan. On

receipt of the Khel Ratna Pillai commented, "The award will help erase some

bitter memories."

His plans to start a hockey academy at Mumbai have not taken off fully as

Bombay Hockey Association has refused to allow its astroturf facility to be used

for training.

 

DOMESTIC CIRCUIT

Teams Indian AirlinesMahindra & Mahindra

CityMumbai

PositionCentre-Forward

Awards Padma Shree (2001)

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Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (1999)Arjuna Puraskar (1995).

TOURNAMENTS

Senior Nationals 1988 - DelhiMay 1997 - Bangalore (4th)

Junior Nationals1985 – Manipur

National GamesDec 2002 - Hyderabad (2nd), 3 GOALS, Captain

Jawaharlal Nehru Hockey Tournament

Nov 2003 - Delhi (2nd)Nov 2002 - Delhi (2nd)

Bombay Gold CupApr 2003 - Mumbai (1st)

Muruguppa Gold Cup Jul 2002 (1st) - Man of the Final, Forward of TourneyJul 1999 (1st) - Man of The FinalJuly 1998 (2nd)

Lal Bahadur Shastri Hockey Tournament

Nov/Dec  2004 - Delhi (2nd)Nov/Dec 2002 - Delhi (2nd)

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INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT

Matches 400 (post 2003 Asia Cup)

Goals Between 130 and 170 goals (estimate)

International Debut 1989 - Allwyn Asia Cup - New Delhi (2nd)

Olympics Aug 2004 - Athens (7th), 2 GOALSSep 2000 - Sydney (7th), 1 GOALJul/Aug 1996 - Atlanta (8th), 2 GOALSJul/Aug 1992 - Barcelona (7th)

World Cup Feb/Mar 2002 - Kuala Lumpur (10th), 2 GOALSMay 1998 - Utrecht (9th), 2 GOALS, CAPTAINNov/Dec 1994 - Sydney (5th), 1 GOAL, Selected for World XI teamFeb 1990 - Lahore (10th), 1 GOAL

Champions Trophy Aug 2003 - Amstelveen (4th), CAPTAINAug/Sep 2002 - Cologne (4th), 2 GOALS, Player of the TournamentDec 1996 - Chennai (4th), 3 GOALS

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1995 - Berlin (5th), 2 GOALS

Asian Games Oct 2002 - Busan (2nd), 3 GOALSFlag bearer of Indian contingent, Member of All-Star Asian Games teamDec 1998 - Bangkok (1st), 10 GOALS, CAPTAIN1994 - Hiroshima (2nd)1990 - Beijing (2nd)

Asia Cup Sep 2003 - Kuala Lumpur (1st), 1 GOAL, CAPTAINNov 1999 - Kuala Lumpur (3rd), 3 GOALS1993 - Hiroshima1989 - New Delhi (2nd)

Commonwealth Games

Sep 1998 - Kuala Lumpur (4th), 5 Goals, Captain

SAF Games1995 - Chennai (1st)

Indo-Pak SeriesFeb/Mar 1998 - Lost 3-4, 3 GOALS, CAPTAIN

Champions Challenge

Dec 2001 - Kuala Lumpur (1st), 1 GOAL

Sultan Azlan Shah Cup

Jan 2004 - Kuala Lumpur (LAST), 2 GOALS, CAPTAINFeb 2000 - Kuala Lumpur (3rd), 5 GOALS1996 – Ipoh

Indira Gandhi Gold Cup

19951994 - 7 GOALS, Player of the Tournament

Asian Tour Mar 2001 - Dhaka - 9-Nation Prime Minister's Gold Cup (1st), 3 GOALS

Australian Tour Jun 2003 - Sydney - 3-Nation Tournament (1st), 1 GOAL, CAPTAINMay/Jun 2003 - Perth - 3-Nation Tournament (2nd), 1 GOAL, CAPTAINApr 2000 - Sydney (3rd in 4-Nation), 1 GOALApr 2000 - Perth (1st in 4-Nation), 2 GOALS

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European Tour Aug 2004 - Leverkusen - 3-Test Series vs. Ireland (Won 2-1), 1 GOALJul 2004 - Dusseldorf - 4-Nation Tournament (2nd)Jun 2003 - Hamburg - 4-Nation Hamburg Masters (1st), CAPTAINJun 2003 - Duisburg (GER) - 1-off Test with Germany, 2-2 Tie, CAPTAINAug 2002 - Amstelveen - Rabobank 4-Nation Tournament (LAST), 1 GOALJan 2000 - Barcelona - 4-Nation Tournament (3rd)Jan 2000 - Barcelona - 1-off Test with Canada (Won 3-2)Jan 2000 - Barcelona - 3-Test Series vs. Belgium (Won 2-0), 1 GOAL1997 - Hamburg - 4-Nation Tournament1995 - Germany - 4-Nation Tournament1993 - Vienna - Alps Cup1993 - Poznan - Inter-Continental Tournament1990 - Germany - BMW Tournament, 2 GOALS

Test Series at Home Jan 1998 - 4-Test Series vs. Germany - Lost 0-3, CAPTAIN1997 - vs. Germany1996 - vs. England, Germany, Australia1995 - vs. Holland, Spain1994 - vs. Holland, Australia, South Africa1993 - vs. South Africa

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FOREIGN CLUBSIndian Gymkhana London 1992 - 1993

FC Lyon Lyon, France 1993

Selangor Kuala Lumpur 19?? - 19??

Abhahani Ltd. Dhaka Jul 1997, Mar 1999

Stuttgart Kickers Stuttgart May - Jun, Oct 2000

Bank Simpanan Nasional

Kuala Lumpur Nov 2000 - Feb 2001

Arthur Andersen Kuala Lumpur Mar 2002 - Jun 2002

Singapore Singapore November 2002

Ernst and Young Kuala Lumpur Sep - Oct 2004

Telekom Malaysia Kuala Lumpur Jul - Sep 2005

Dhanraj keen to play at Sydney Olympics in Y2K

PUNE, Dec 28: Sheer determination and hard work. The success that

followed has given the Indian hockey captain, Dhanraj Pillay's sporting career a

fresh lease of life.

After the gold at the Asian Games in Bangkok, he came back to his

hometown, to a thumping welcome from relatives, close friends and fans, all the

way from the airport to his residence in Khadki.If only the victorious team had

landed at Lohegaon rather than Sahar. The kind of welcome Dhanraj got at the

Lohegaon terminal was in stark contrast to the drab reception at Mumbai. A

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sizeable crowd was patiently waiting for him. Fans filled up the lobby. A larger

crowd stood outside braving the drop in temperature.

He is relaxed and basking in the attention. His next goal -- making it to the

Sydney Olympics in Y2k. "The 50-odd days work-out in Bangalore and the

determination has been fruitful. It has put vigour into me,'' says Dhanraj who has

been in and out of the team twice before he made it to the Asian Games.

``Yes. There has been a lot of criticism. But at Bangkok, I gave my best,''

adds Dhanraj referring to being adjudged the player of the tournament. ``I had

told my parents long before leaving for Bangkok, that this being my last Asian

Games appearance, if we don't win the gold medal I will retire. But the success

changed my decision. I have no complaints against anybody after the poor

showing at the World Cup. Keeping in mind that this will be my last Asiad, I went

all out and it has paid off well,'' said the man who scored eleven goals in the

championship.

He was at a loss of words to express his happiness when he met family.

His mother, brothers Ganesh, Ramesh, Vijay and sister Sunita besides his sister-

in-law Kavita were all there to participate in his moment of glory. All he could

manage to say ``I'm happy to be back home.'' Memories at the Queen Sirkit

artificial surface (astro turf) in Bangkok are still afresh. He elaborates,``The most

thrilling moment in my life was when Mukesh Kumar scored the goal (the tie

breaker) and the gold was ours.'' ``Mereku samaj me nahi aa raha tha mai kya

karu (I did not know what to do). So was the entire team. We were in a foreign

land and did not know where to go. It took some time to sink and only then did

we celebrate. Everyone was surprised, as not even the overall victorious Chinese

team were as jubilant as we were''.

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Dhanraj describes the win as a team effort when he says, ``We worked

hard and we played well as a team after many years which paid dividends.''He

has no immediate plans of switching jobs, but is confident that his employer

(Mahindras) will consider shaping a hockey team.

Leaving the Mahindras for other offers is the last thing on his mind. ``I have

offers from the Tatas, Calcutta Customs, Indian Airlines. But for the past five

years my employers have taken good care of me in my hard days, which I cannot

forget. I'm sure they will strongly consider having a hockey team and more so

with the presence of the Indian captain, I'm optimistic that they will do something

for the game''.

This victory has resurrected the hockey team from the doldrums and

chances of finance flowing in from corporates and multi-nationals are bright.

``Now it is left up to the concerned authorities to go about preparing for the

Sydney Olympics''.

Hike in monetary incentives, cash prizes for the team events going up from

Rs 5 lakh to Rs 20 lakh and a lot more continue to pour in a positive sign that

hockey is the national game.

Dhanraj is confident that he will play the Pakistan series. Later in February

he plans to play for Italy or Bangladesh, a two-month stint, then rejoin the Indian

team for the Olympics.

Although age might be catching up with him (he is nearly 30), his wants to

be in Sydney. He is confident he will be around for another two years.

The Khadki lad has come a long way, from galli hockey to astro turf. He

recollects the days when he had to borrow a hockey stick to play. "I have had

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many coaches from M.A. Anthony in Pune to Joaquium Carvalho in Mumbai. But

my father is my idol,'' says the champ.

Here is a box item.

No house for the champ.

He has been around the hockey scene for the last ten years. Yet Dhanraj

is to receive whatever little that the State Government does for any sportsman.

``I have not received anything from the Government, and the sad part is

that my application file for the flat (10% quota scheme) is lying in the government

office in Mumbai for the last two years, gathering dust.'' he says.

The application for a flat within the scheme was forwarded in the year 1996

but since then he is yet to get any intimation from the concerned officials that

they are in receipt of his application, leave alone allotment of a flat.

Dhanraj who first played for the country in the Asia Cup in 1989 is hopeful

that the gold medal will do the trick and he will soon get a roof over his head.

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