INDIAN HOCKEY’S FAN BRIGADE

BHUBANESWAR: India may not have won a major tournament in hockey recently, but there are still die-hard fans who travel around the world to cheer the national team. ‘One Team One Dream’ is known as the Barmy Army of Indian hockey. A numbers of fans like Baldev Singh Kalsi are part of the group. Hundreds of Indian fans from across the globe had gathered in New Delhi during the 2010 World Cup and the Commonwealth Games hosted in India. It became a platform that gave birth to a Indian hockey fan group named ‘One Team One Dream’. Since then these die-hard hockey fans have not missed a single international match of the country irrespective of whichever part of the world it has been played.“hockey is in our blood. We have grown up listening to the past glory of Indian hockey teams. We travel and cheer for our team and it is the least we can do to contribute to the team,” said Baldev Singh Kalsi. Kalsi, who said he has been to every Olympics since 1972 Munich and every World Cup since 1975 Kuala Lumpur, recalled his best moments.

“I have seen India winning Olympic bronze (1972) and gold (1980) and lifting the world title in 1975. These moments are forever etched in memory. Now it’s been a long time since we have made a podium finish in any global tournament. This time it is a golden opportunity, to see India win a medal here in Bhubaneswar,” said Kalsi, who has travelled from London to Odhisa’s capital to support the team. He is joined by a dozen of ‘One Team One Dream’ members and around 25-30 more fans will join the group in coming days.