New Delhi: One of India’s finest hockey players, Dhanraj Pillay, is celebrating his 57th birthday today on July 17. He was known for his sublime pace and prolific goal-scoring ability, and brilliant dribbling.

He was born in Khadki, Pune and moved to Mumbai to pursue a career in professional hockey. Pillay made his international debut against New Zealand in the 1989 Allwyn Cup. He represented India at the Olympics in just three years of his international career, but the team failed to make any significant mark in the Barcelona Games, winning just two matches out of the five.

The same performance was repeated by the Men in Blue at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, where they only managed to win two games and finished in eighth place. India’s poor show on the big stage came to an end at the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games as Pillay led his side to the gold medal.

He handled the responsibilities of the captaincy brilliantly and also scored goals for the team on a regular basis. He netted 11 goals in the tournament and emerged as the highest scorer as well. His sensational performance also earned him a spot in the Asian All-Star team.

He also donned the Indian jersey at the Olympics two more times, but unfortunately, failed to win medals for the team. His stunning, skillful gameplay stole the show in the 2002 Champions Trophy played in Cologne, Germany, as he was declared the Player of the Tournament. India also won the first-ever Asia Cup title under his leadership.

Hockey players and fans wish Dhanraj Pillay on his birthday

He played 339 international matches for the country, scoring 170 goals and received the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award in 1999. Pillay also received the Padma Shri in 2001. He announced his international retirement from hockey after a 16-year-long career in 2004.