Dhanraj Pillay (born July 16, 1968) is a former field hockey player and captain of the Indian hockey team. He was born in Pune. Dhanraj Pillay, the mercurial Indian Airlines and India striker is one of the all time greats of the Indian sport. He was born on 16th of July 1978 at Kirkee (near Pune) in Maharashtra. Wiry, 5’.8” tall, tremendously fit for his 35 years and a heart that is bigger than anybody else in the world of hockey, Pillay has brought romance back into the game of hockey through his personality, his grit and his recent performances with the Indian hockey team. Pillay spent his youth in the Ordinance Factory staff colony in Kirkee, 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 for greatness by India defender, Joaquim Carvalho. With excellent performances for his employers and for Mumbai in the national championships, it was only a matter of time before he took his rightful place in the Indian hockey team, which he did in the Asia Cup of 1989. Pillay is the only Indian to have played in 3 Olympic Games, 3 World Cups and 4 Asian Games. 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. He is a recipient of the Arjuna Award (1995) and the K.K. Birla Award (1998-99) for excellence in Sports. He has also received the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award (1999) and been conferred with the coveted Padma Shri in 2000. The Indian hockey team is now sponsored by Sahara India, bringing in much needed money into the game, and Pillay has signed a contract with Percept D’Mark, which will fetch him approximately Rs. 25 lakh a year. A bachelor, he lives in Powai and drives a Ford Ikon. Dhanraj Pillay’s dream is to be part of an Olympic Gold medal winning team. July 16 is the 197th day (198th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 168 days remaining. ... 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1968 calendar). ... A game of field hockey in progress Field hockey is a popular sport for men and women in many countries around the world. ... Pune (पुणे in Marathi), formerly Punavadi and Poona (पूना in Hindi), Maharashtra state, western India, is situated at the confluence of the Mula and Mutha rivers. ...

Major international tournaments:

• Olympics (1992 Barcelona, 1996 Atlanta, 2000 Sydney)
• World Cup (1990 Lahore, 1994 Sydney, 1998 Utrecht)
• Asian Games (1990 Beijing, 1994 Hiroshima, 1998 Bangkok)
• Champions Trophy

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. For months before the Olympic Games, runners relay the Olympic Flame from Olympia to the opening ceremony. ... The Games of the XXV Olympiad were held in 1992 in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. ... The 1996 Summer Olympics, formally known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and informally known as the Centennial Olympics, were held in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. ... The Games of the XXVII Olympiad or the Millennium Olympics were held in 2000 in Sydney, Australia. ... For other hockey World Cups, see World Cup (hockey) for disambiguation The World Hockey Cup was first held in 1971. ... The Asian Games, also called the Asiad, is a multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from all over Asia. ... The Champions Trophy was founded by the Pakistan airmarshal Nur Khan. ... Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award is India’s highest sporting honour. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) is a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... This article is about the year 2000. ... Padma Shri (variously spelled Padma Shree, Padma Sree and Padma Sri) is an award given by the Government of India (generally to Indian citizens). ... This article is about the year 2000. ...

Pillay is currently working as a Junior Officer in Mahindra & Mahindra. Mahindra & Mahindra is a part of the Mahindra Group and was established in 1945 to manufacture general-purpose utility vehicles. ...

External links

• Dhanraj Pillai biography