P. R. Sreejesh

Parattu Raveendran Sreejesh is an Indian field hockey player from Kerala who plays as a goalkeeper and former captain of the Indian national team.He is regarded as the World's best goal keeper of his generation.[1] He plays in the Hockey India League for Uttar Pradesh Wizards. Sreejesh played a vital role in the Indian national team's bronze medal win at the 2020 Summer Olympics men's field hockey tournament.[2] He won FIH Player of the Year Awards (2020–21) for best male goalkeeper.[3] Since winning gold in 2014 Asian Games he won gold medal again in 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou.[4] He won a total of 16 international medals in his career until 2023 from Olympics, FIH Hockey World Championships, Commonwealth Games, Asian tournaments combined.

P. R. Sreejesh
Sreejesh in 2015
Personal information
Full name Parattu Raveendran Sreejesh
Born (1988-05-08) 8 May 1988
Pallikkara, Kochi
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight 90 kg (198 lb)
Playing position Goalkeeper
Club information
Current club Physical Education & Sports, Kerala
Senior career
Years Team
2005–2011 Chandigarh Comets
2011–2013 Indian Overseas Bank
2013–2014 Mumbai Magicians
2015–2017 Uttar Pradesh Wizards
2017– Physical Education & Sports, Kerala
National team
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004–2006 India U21
2006– India 308 (0)
Medal record
Men's field hockey
Representing  India
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place2020 TokyoTeam
Asian Games
Gold medal – first place2014 IncheonTeam
Gold medal – first place2022 HangzhouTeam
Bronze medal – third place2018 JakartaTeam
Asian Indoor Games
Bronze medal – third place2007 MacauIndoor team
Asia Cup
Silver medal – second place2013 Ipoh
Champions Trophy
Silver medal – second place2016 London
Silver medal – second place2018 Breda
Asian Champions Trophy
Gold medal – first place2011 Ordos City
Gold medal – first place2016 Kuantan
Gold medal – first place2018 Muscat
Gold medal – first place2023 Chennai
Silver medal – second place2012 Doha
World League
Bronze medal – third place2014–15 RaipurTeam
Commonwealth Games
Silver medal – second place2014 GlasgowTeam
Silver medal – second place2022 BirminghamTeam

Early life

Sreejesh was born 8 May 1988, in Kizhakkambalam village, in the Ernakulam district of Kerala, to P. V. Raveendran and Usha, a family of farmers. He completed his primary education in St. Antony's Lower Primary School in Kizhakkambalam and he studied until the sixth standard in St. Joseph's High School in Kizhakkambalam.[5]

As a kid, he trained as a sprinter, before moving on to long jump and volleyball. At 12, he joined the GV Raja Sports School in Thiruvananthapuram. This was where his coach suggested that he take up goalkeeping.[6][7] He became a professional after he was picked by hockey coach Jayakumar at the school, following which he played at the school before playing at the Nehru Cup.[8] He completed his graduation in History from Sree Narayana College, Kollam, Kerala.[9]

In 2017, the Government of India awarded him the fourth highest civilian award Padma Shri for his work in the field of sports.[10][11]

Career

International career

Sreejesh made the Junior national team in 2004, in a match against Australia in Perth, in 2004. He made his debut in the senior national team in 2006, at the South Asian Games in Colombo.[7] Following India's win at the 2008 Junior Asia Cup, he was awarded the 'Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament'.[12] Having been a part of the Indian team for six years, though often losing his place to senior goalkeepers, Adrian D'Souza and Bharat Chettri,[13] he has been a regular member since 2011, after saving two penalty stroke in the Asian Champions Trophy Final in Ordos City, China, against Pakistan, a match-winning performance.[6] His second 'Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament' award came at the 2013 Asia Cup, with India finishing second in the tournament. He was a part of the team that won silver medals at the

Sreejesh had earlier played for India at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, and then World Cup in 2014. At the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, he starred in Indian's gold medal win, when he saved two penalty strokes against Pakistan in the final.[14] At the 2014 Champions Trophy and 2018 Champions Trophy, he was adjudged "Goalkeeper of the Tournament".[15] Following impressive performances in 2014, he was nominated for the award of Best Male Goalkeeper; he eventually lost to Jaap Stockmann of the Netherlands.[16] He was the captain of the team that won the silver medal at the 2016 Men's Hockey Champions Trophy held at London.

On 13 Jul 2016, Sreejesh was given the responsibilities of the Captain of the Indian hockey team, taking over from Sardar Singh.

At the 2016 Olympics in Rio, Sreejesh led the Indian hockey team to the quarterfinals of the tournament .[17]

At the Tokyo Olympics, on 5 August 2021, Sreejesh played a key role in defeating Germany to clinch the bronze medal for India after 41 years.[18][19]

Sreejesh is in race for World games Athlete[20] of the year and according to the reports, the online voting will start from 10 January 2022 and ends at 31 January 2022.[21]

Sreejesh was a part of 2022 Commonwealth Games Silver medal won team, 2023 Asian Champion Trophy Winners team and 2022 Asian Games hockey Gold medal won Indian team.

Club career

At the auction of the inaugural season of the Hockey India League, Sreejesh was bought by the Mumbai franchise for US$38,000. He played two seasons for their team, Mumbai Magicians.[22] In 2014, he was bought by Uttar Pradesh Wizards for US$69,000 and since the 2015 season, has been playing for them.[23] PR Sreejesh became the second Indian to win the "World Athlete of the Year" after Rani Rampal.

Personal life

Sreejesh married his longtime girlfriend Aneeshya, a former long jumper and an Ayurveda doctor. They have a daughter (b. 2014) Anusree.[24] His son, Sreeansh was born in 2017. He is currently employed as Joint Director(Chief Sports Organiser) with the Government of Kerala's Department of General and Higher Education. Sreejesh is a member of Rotary Club of Kizhakkambalam, District 3201.

Awards

References
  1. "Sreejesh Parattu Raveendran". Hockey India. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  2. "Meet PR Sreejesh, India's talismanic goalkeeper who led them to first Olympic medal in 41 years". India Today. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  3. "Hockey: India sweeps FIH annual awards". The Times of India.
  4. "Asian Games Results". 2022 Asian Games, Hangzhou. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  5. "P. R. Sreejesh Wiki, Height, Age, Wife, Family, Biography & More". Biography India. 7 August 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  6. "SHOT stopper". The Hindu. 7 November 2013. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  7. "Indian hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh gets married to former long jumper Alisha". sportskeeda.com. 13 May 2013. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  8. "Goalie extraordinaire". The Hindu. 2 August 2008. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  9. "Parattu Raveendran Sreejesh profile". incheon2014ag.org. Archived from the original on 29 September 2014. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  10. "Padma Awards 2017 announced". pib.gov.in.
  11. "List of Padma awardees 2017". The Hindu. 25 January 2017.
  12. "Diwakar Ram in the spotlight". Sportstar. 2 August 2008. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  13. "The solitary keeper". The Indian Express. 14 March 2013. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  14. "Asian Games: India beat Pakistan to clinch gold, qualify for Rio Olympics". Deccan Chronicle. 2 October 2014. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  15. "PR Sreejesh Hopes to Live up to Expectations in Hockey India League 2015". NDTV. 29 December 2014. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  16. "FIH announce the winners of the FIH 2014 Player of the Year". fih.ch. 15 January 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  17. "Hockey India removes Sardar Singh as captain, Sreejesh to lead at Rio Olympics". The Hindu. 13 July 2016. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
  18. "മലയാളി മെഡൽ; ശ്രീജേഷിലൂടെ ഹോക്കിയിൽ ഇന്ത്യയ്ക്ക് അഭിമാന വെങ്കലം". Mathrubhumi (in Malayalam). 5 August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  19. "Olympic bronze medallist hockey star PR Sreejesh has a road named after him in Kerala". 5 August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  20. "World games athlete of the year: Latest News, Videos and Photos of World games athlete of the year | Times of India". The Times of India.
  21. "Sreejesh: PR Sreejesh in race for World Games Athlete of the Year award | Hockey News - Times of India". The Times of India.
  22. "Hockey India League will boost Indian hockey: Sreejesh". The New Indian Express. 9 January 2013. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  23. "Sreejesh hopes to live up to expectations in Hockey India League". The Times of India. 29 December 2014. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  24. "Indian hockey goalkeeper Sreejesh blessed with a baby girl". suhridsports.blogspot.in. 1 July 2014. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  25. "National Sports Awards 2021: Neeraj Chopra, Lovlina Borgohain, Mithali Raj Among 9 Others to Get Khel Ratna". News18. 2 November 2021. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  26. "Sreejesh becomes the second Indian to get World Athlete Of The Year Award". The Hindu. 31 January 2022. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
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