The COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic has taken a massive blown at the world of sports. Several major fixtures, events and leagues have seen postponement and cancellation, and many sportspersons, players, coaches and officials are under isolation or quarantine, or in a general leisure away from the field. However, not in the case of Harendra Singh. India’s field hockey coach and former international player is not resting. From guiding the players on the field, Singh is now performing the managerial role at terminal 3 of Delhi Airport, as General Manager (Commercial), Air India.
However, some staunch difference is there. This time, Singh doesn’t have a team of professional hockey players to guide against an opposition team from another country. He has a crowd of Indians returning from abroad, all panic-stricken, fearing for their safety, taking the battle against a virus that has spread its wings across the globe, slowly taking away lives, over 10000 to be exact as of now.
However, the former head coach of India’s men’s, women’s and junior field hockey teams has remained unperturbed in his duty. Harendra Singh’s experience from the Indian dugout is clearly working in his favour in the time of woes.
“The country needs you at this time, just like a soldier or a sportsperson,” a confident Singh spoke to Times of India.
“Over the past few days, I and my entire team have even worked for 72 hours non-stop. To save our country, not a single corona-infected patient should enter India. This is our duty,” the former Team India halfback told the reporters.
The fighting spirit that earned his team a silver medal at the 1990 Asian Games, Singh is positive on the same feeling that is working at the national capital as they are tacking the fight against the contamination of the virus.
Singh continued: “We wear masks, suits and use hand sanitises. But I would admit that sometimes you need to summon extra courage to face this situation. Be it a helper, handyman or top management, that fighting spirit is on display here.”
The 43 times capped international guided the Junior team to victory at the 2016 Men’s Hockey Junior World Cup. A year later, Singh took on the role of the gaffer of the Women’s team, that clinched gold at the 2017 Women’s Hockey Asia Cup. The Men’s team, under his coaching, went onto win silver at the 2018 Men’s Hockey Champions Trophy, before he was sacked in 2019.
Even after a year gap from managing a team of professionals, a confident Harendra Singh in a decontamination suit is what the Delhi airport is relying on.
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