When TV sting ended the Super career of a rising hockey star

It is a story wrapped in the layers of misfortune. As per a recent report published in a leading national daily-Indian Express. A television sting operation conducted by a leading Media house, led to the downfall of a hockey player of immense talent.

It was April 2008, when reporters of the news channel-'Aaj Tak' posing as Uttar Pradesh-based promoters approached Indian Hockey Federation’s then secretary-general K Jothikumaran. They said that they are ready to pay as long as a fringe player forms their area i included in the national side.
The name of the fringe player was edited out during the telecast of the sting operation.

K Jothikumaran was seen accepting bribe in the television sting operation. The secretary was given a sum of Rs. 2lakh in cash and promised another 3 lakh for the induction of a player in the upcoming Azlan Shah tournament.

The Secretary of Indian Hockey Federation K Jothikumaran resigned following the sting operation. Jothikumaran was the IHF Secretary for almost 15 years and along with K P S Gill, has been blamed for Indian hockey’s decline over the last couple of decades.

The fallout of the sting operation was felt all-around. The IHF was suspended. The reputation of the game got a severe taint. But it was the young, 17 years old Lalit Kumar Upadhyay who bore the burnt of the misconception generated by the television sting operation.

Though, it became clear that the sting operation was 'staged' to trap the IHF officials and the name of the player was used as ’bait’. Everyone started speculating on the name of the player from 'that region'- Utter Pradesh.

Then, in one of the transcripts of the sting operation that appeared in the media, Upadhyay was mentioned. At that point of time, only one player was in the probable list the national side from Utter pradesh- Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, from Varanasi.

In a clear case of gross misjudgment Lalit Kumar Upadhyay was taken off as a prospect from the selectors list. While his batch-mate went on to play for the Indian team, Lalit Kumar Upadhya was treated as an out caste despite having faired well in the game.

Sensing the seriousness of the miss-happenings, Dhanraj Pillay came to the young boy's rescue. Pillay got Upadhyay a deal with Air India to play on a monthly stipend. He further went on a tour with the Indian junior team in 2009.

Finally, the shadow of the dark times lifted. Upadhyay was selected by the Bhopal Badshah team for the WSH.

Lalit Upadhyay talented as ever went on to win the Rookie of the year award- a sum of Rs. 10 Lakh.

Just few months back he was being taunted as a as a player who got his place after offering bribe, “Log bolte the main ghoos de ke khela hun (People used to say that I am playing because I bribed my way through),” Upadhyay says.

Now he was seen as the player of immense talent and capabilities. The national coach Joaquim Carvalho calls him “exceptional” and rues that the sting operation ensured that his talent was never utilized.

The best praise has come from Pakistan legend Shahbaz Ahmed. During a WSH technical review committee meeting, says Carvalho, Ahmed told him: “That boy Lalit, he plays like me... The boy is exceptionally talented. ”For those of you who are not aware of the significance of the comment, that’s similar to what Don Bradman said for Sachin Tendulkar.

Though it would take some time for the young 21 year old to come out of the dark shadow of his past, -“On that night after the sting operation, my phone rang incessantly. I was rattled. I had no idea how to deal with such a situation. I lost all hope and went into depression,” he says.

He recalls-“Till date I don’t know why my name was dragged into the sting operation. I was 17, training with the national squad. I didn’t even know what a sting operation meant. Suddenly, for no fault of mine, I was ignored.”