Diljit Dosanjh, Taapsee Pannu-starrer Soorma, which is releasing on July 13, is based on the larger-than-life story of ‘drag flicker’ Sandeep Singh. The flamboyant former Indian hockey Captain made his India debut in 2004, and that very same year at the Asia Cup, he scored the highest number of goals, bringing home the trophy.
In 2006, during the week-long break before the World Cup in Germany, Singh was travelling by Delhi-Kalka Shatabdi Express for national camp, when he was shot by accident by a police personnel in the train. Sandeep was paralysed from waist down, and was told by the doctors that he was lucky to even sit on a wheelchair. Hockey, the doctors said were out of question. Luckily, Sandeep not only had the Indian Hockey Federation’s backup, who sent him abroad for treatment, he received full support from his elder brother, Bikramjit Singh who was a well-known hockey player himself.
It took Sandeep Singh only two years to stage a comeback, and what a memorable comeback it turned out to be. Singh played so well post his return, that the federation made him Team India captain in 2008.
Talking about how his experience, Sandeep said: “When I had an accident in 2006, no one believed that I will return to the ground but I did. This time also I was out of the team for long but I was confident of making a comeback.”
“As cricketer Yuvraj Singh says ‘jab tak balla chal raha hai thaat hai, lekin jab balla nahi chalega toh..’ (As long as you’re scoring, things are fine. But when the runs stop, what do you do) Similarly I am nobody without hockey. Hockey is my passion and I cannot live without it. I was inspired to work hard, do better and make a come back,” he continued.
The ride hasn’t been easy at all for this former hockey player, but he hasn’t let that define who he is. And that’s quite something isn’t it?
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