Being a prodigy is never easy. You are constantly punching above your weight to rise through the ranks. Ask Vivek Sagar Prasad, India's two-time Olympic medallist aged 24. (More Hockey News)
Many found issue with the charismatic Indian hockey midfielder's height and slender build when he was an up-and-coming talent. But the unfazed youngster chose to let his stick do the talking.
"People said you need to have a certain height and physique to play for India. Well, I cannot change how God made me beyond a point. I can only work on my game skills, so I focused on that," Vivek tells Outlook.
Comments on his physicality were not the only challenge he faced. Born as the youngest of four siblings in Shivnagar Chandon village near Itarsi, Madhya Pradesh, Vivek found means and motivation lacking when he chose to pursue hockey.
There was little to no precedence of players making it big from the vicinity, and his father, a school teacher, was strictly against Vivek taking up any sport. In fact, the playmaker recounts how he used to enlist his sisters and mother's help to sneak back in after practice, as an 11-year-old. "My father always said no to play, asking me to build a future by studying instead. But I did not relent, and aided by my brother's support, decided to follow my heart."
The doggedness is evident in other facets and stages of his life too. When he was all of 15, Vivek endured a collarbone injury that could easily have ended his career even before it began. "I remember I was in the hospital and an India vs New Zealand match was underway. My brother pointed at the screen and told me, 'You have to get there, come what may'."
And that was that. Less than three years later, Vivek made his senior India debut aged 17, just 11 days shy of Sandeep Singh's record for being the youngest to do so. The same year, Vivek led the Indian junior team to a silver medal at the Youth Olympic Games, and was part of the senior teams that bagged the Asian Games bronze in Jakarta and Champions Trophy silver in the Netherlands.
In 2019, the midfielder was named FIH's Rising Star of the Year. Another FIH honour followed in 2021, when he was declared the Young Player of the Year after helping end India's 41-year wait for an Olympic medal in hockey. Cut to present day, Vivek possesses a second Olympic medal from Paris and was promoted as vice-captain of the Indian team that defended its Asian Champions Trophy title in Hulunbuir, China.
All of these achievements have been made possible by his sunny, 'never quit' attitude. "I have always had a strong urge to not give up. I am not going to surrender, no matter what the circumstances may be.
"Nothing is permanent, be it success or failure. Time changes everything. I imbibed this mentality when I was injured, thinking that this too shall pass. I am mindful of it while practising too."
He also sustains this conviction during matches, having grown into a seasoned member of the Indian team at 24. Vivek believes in putting his ideas forward "without hesitation" in his new role as vice-captain. That he had prior experience of leading the junior side meant he did not have much trouble in essaying the crucial role with the senior outfit as well.
The talented athlete is all too aware of the pivotal intervention of Olympian Ashok Kumar, son of the venerated Dhyan Chand, in his fledgling days. It was Ashok who famously spotted Vivek at a local tournament in Akola in 2013, and life was never the same again.
Ten years and numerous accolades hence, the relationship between mentor and student hasn't changed. "I speak with Ashok sir and assistant coaches Lokendra Sharma, Habib Hasan before and after every tournament. It helps me in the match-eve visualization process too."
Throwing more light on this 'visualization' that has become a buzzword of late among sportspersons, Vivek says: "In the night, I write down two or three things that I want to do in the match the next day. These things vary as per the opposition.
"For example, Belgium plays zonal hockey, while England rely on man-to-man marking. So I alter the goals accordingly. Then in the morning, I read the pointers and run the scenarios in my mind to be able to execute them on the field."
Vivek stresses on mental toughness, which he adds is something that held him in good stead during his transition from the junior to senior team, and is also a pre-condition in top-flight hockey. So how does he hone it? "Coaches and mentors play a big role in it. When we win, they help us keep our feet on the ground. When we lose, it is all about zeroing in on the mistakes rather than the result."
In his seven-year-long international career so far, Vivek has collaborated with three national coaches: Sjoerd Marijne in his early days, Graham Reid post that and Craig Fulton currently. Each of them brought something different to the table, Vivek feels, explaining how Fulton makes him tick.
"I really enjoy playing under his guidance. He reads oppositions' gameplans very quickly and changes our tactics to counter them on the fly. This is done so quickly that the opponents often have no time to react."
Talking specifically of modern-day hockey and where India stands there, Vivek elaborates: "The game is more technical now. It is safer, and not as dangerous as it used to be. The focus has shifted from dribbling skills to smart ball rotation.
"Our (India) strengths are counter attack and penalty corners. We employ a mixture of Asian and European styles, which is what makes Indian hockey special." And that is why Vivek is confident that India have it in them to lift the World Cup trophy again in 2026, long after the sole triumph of 1975.
The announcement of the resumption of Hockey India League after a seven-year gap has expectedly delighted Vivek, who feels it is the "best thing that could have happened to Indian hockey" at this juncture. Incidentally, it will the first time that the playmaker will compete in the HIL, as the league paused before his India debut.
Apart from hockey, the Madhya Pradesh resident continues to indulge in chess and badminton, both of which he had flirted with before committing to the erstwhile national sport. He also enjoys catching movies from time to time, and is looking forward to watch the cinematic marvel of Tumbbad.
His personal goal is far more wholesome. After visiting several countries across the globe for tournaments, Vivek wants to enjoy at least one of them as a tourist alongside his parents. "I dream of taking my mother and father to a European country some day."
