Dalit landless labourer’s son Sumit makes waves in hockey

Poverty was a companion for Sumit, now a key India midfielder at the World Cup. Going to bed hungry or after having just plain bread — family couldn’t even afford milk — travelling ticketless on trains to save money for fruits or a meal at inter-district hockey competitions were the norm.

Saurabh Duggal


India's Sumit (C) tries to dribble past Belgium's Tom Boon during the field hockey group stage match between India and Belgium at the 2018 Hockey World in Bhubaneswar. (AFP)

From the time he can remember, he has had one mission in life --- lift his family out of poverty. As a 10-year-old, Sumit would be up before dawn to clean the floor of a restaurant in exchange for food, to ensure his family of five had breakfast. After work, he would rush home to drop the food packet before reaching the ground at 5.30am.