Dhanraj Pillay facts for kids
Pillay in 2010
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Dhanraj Pillay | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 16 July 1968 Khadki, Pune, Maharastra, India |
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| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Forward | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1992–1993 | Indian Gymkhana | 78 | (200) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1993 | HC Lyon | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1994–1997 | Selangor HA | 7 | (8) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1997–1999 | Abahani Ltd. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000 | HTC Stuttgart Kickers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2001 | Bank Simpanan Nasional HC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2002 | Arthur Andersen HC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2002 | Singapore Hockey Federation | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2008 | Maratha Warriors | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012 | Karnataka Lions | 6 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1989–2004 | India | 339 | (170) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Dhanraj Pillay, born on July 16, 1968, is a famous retired Indian field hockey player. He used to be the captain of the Indian national team. Many people think he is one of the greatest hockey players India has ever had.
Pillay was born into a Tamil family. He started playing for the national team in 1989. His career lasted over 15 years. During this time, he played for India in four Olympic Games, four World Cups, and four Champions Trophies. He played 339 games for the national team. It is believed he scored around 170 goals. He also played for hockey clubs in other countries. These included Malaysia, France, England, and Germany. In 2000, the Indian government gave him the Padma Shri award for his amazing achievements.
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Dhanraj Pillay's International Hockey Career
Dhanraj Pillay's international career lasted from December 1989 to August 2004. He played in 339 international matches. The Indian Hockey Federation did not keep official records of goals scored. However, it is widely believed that Dhanraj scored about 171 goals.
He is the only Indian player to have played in four Olympic Games (1992, 1996, 2000, and 2004). He also played in four World Cups (1990, 1994, 1998, and 2002). Additionally, he participated in four Champions Trophies (1995, 1996, 2002, and 2003). He also played in four Asian Games (1990, 1994, 1998, and 2002).
India won the Asian Games in 1998 with him as captain. They also won the Asia Cup in 2003 under his leadership. He scored the most goals at the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games. He was also the only Indian player chosen for the World Eleven team at the 1994 World Cup in Sydney.
Playing for Clubs Around the World
Dhanraj Pillay also played for many clubs outside India. These included Indian Gymkhana in London and HC Lyon in France. He played for BSN HC and Telekom Malaysia HC in Malaysia. He also played for Abahani Limited, HTC Stuttgart Kickers in Germany, and Khalsa Sports Club in Hong Kong.
Later in his career, Dhanraj played in the Premier Hockey League in India. He played for the Maratha Warriors for two seasons. In 2012, he played for the Karnataka Lions in the World Series Hockey. He scored two goals for his team. The team was captained by former India captain Arjun Halappa. He also played for Indian Airlines in the Beighton Cup. He is now the coach for the Indian Airlines team.
Awards and Recognitions
Dhanraj Pillay has received many important awards. He was given India's highest sporting honor, the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award, for the year 1999–2000. In 2001, he received the Padma Shri, which is a high civilian award.
He was the captain when India won the 1998 Asian Games in hockey. He also led the team to victory in the 2003 Asia Cup. In 2002, he was named the best player of the tournament. This was at the Champions Trophy held in Cologne, Germany. In 2017, the East Bengal Club gave him the Bharat Gaurav award.
His Biography
A book about Dhanraj Pillay's life was published in 2007. It is called Forgive Me Amma. A journalist named Sundeep Misra wrote the book. He had followed Pillay's career for over twenty years.
