A Journey Back to the Hockey Field with 1998 IITM Batchmates
The bond created during their college years is something that remains unparalleled throughout their lives. It's the shared experiences, the late-night conversations, and the countless memories that make these years so special for this 1998 batch. Recently, the 1998 batch Hockey team had the opportunity to reconnect with their friends during the reunion, and what better way to relive those golden moments than by stepping onto the hockey field once again?
Unforgettable Hockey Memories
As they gathered on the hockey field, memories came flooding back, and they couldn't help but share some of their most cherished moments. One of the standout memories for this Hockey team was defeating Taramani Bulls. “We kind of defeated a team called Taramani Bulls who were rampaging on the ground. They were defeating everybody. We all thought there was no chance that we would win against them, but we defeated them. Okay, that is something that's unforgettable.” said Mr. Saravana Kumar, B.Tech. Mech Engg, 1998. Though they thought victory was impossible, they overcame the odds and emerged triumphant. These victories showcased the indomitable spirit and resilience of this Hockey team.
The Inter-IIT Sports Meet in Kharagpur
The Inter-IIT Sports Meets were highly anticipated events, where IITs from all over the country came together to compete in various sports. Hockey, in particular, held a special place in their hearts. One of the most memorable experiences for this hockey team was participating in the Inter-IIT Sports Meet held in 1997 at IIT Kharagpur.
As a team, they faced several challenges leading up to the meet, including players being unable to participate due to injuries and academic commitments. Commenting about that incident, the captain of the hockey team shared his experience, “My favorite memory is from the last Inter IIT sports meet, 1997, which was at IIT Kharagpur. We didn't have any substitutes in the team. One person was down with, I think, jaundice; he was our goalkeeper. So, we had to substitute him at the last minute. With a backup, another person had to go and do some extra classes not to get a W grade. And then the third person had an injury and couldn't make it. So, we went entirety without any substitutes,” said Mr. Sandeep Thangiah, B.Tech, Mech. Engg., 1998.
The night before the final match against IIT Bombay, “I'd sprained my right ankle, so I was running on one leg and then in the final match was entirety with it, the night before IIT Bombay captain came and said, we don't want to thrash you. If we have an agreement, you can lose. I was honorably at 1- 0. I said, we'll settle it on the ground tomorrow. So the next day, half an hour before the match, I called the team and, said, this is what the IIT Bombay captain had to say. What do you guys want to do? And I said, like, we'll do our talking on the ground,” says Mr. Sandeep.
Mr. Sandeep, continues, “We won the match 3-1. IIT Bombay didn't know what happened in the first 10 minutes. We were 2-0 up. That was a fantastic memory.” It was a testament to their unity as a team.
Personal Triumphs and Special Moments
Their journey on the hockey field wasn't just about team wins. Each of them had personal triumphs and special moments that they hold dear. From scoring crucial goals to representing IITM on a national level, these achievements reinforced their belief in the importance of individual contributions to the team's success.
"It's hard to beat that memory because many of us were part of it. It is very special. Personally, in the same year, this match against Kharagpur, which actually performed surprisingly well against us. So, we didn't anticipate that kind of defense from them. But that match had a special moment for me personally, where I was able to score an amazing goal, which helped the team win. So, that is my special moment," said Mr. Ravi Uppala, B.Tech, Mech. Engg., 1998.
Nostalgic Reflections and Reconnecting with Batchmates
Reconnecting with their batchmates after such a long time was an emotional and nostalgic experience. Despite the years that have passed, it felt like they had never been apart. The magic of those college days came alive as they shared stories, laughed, and reminisced about the adventures they had. "It feels really great to be here after such a long time. And, I was not sure if I could actually hold the (hockey) stick, but, looks like all the coaching from Mani sir is still there," says Vikram Rayabhari, B.Tech, CS. & Engg., 1998.
The bonds formed during their time at IITM remained unbreakable, with most of them hitting the hockey ground after a very long time. "I'm playing on this hockey field definitely after 25 years," says Prof. Andrew Thangaraj, B.Tech, Electr. Engg., 1998.
The Balance Between Academics and Sports
Both in academics and sports, it taught them the importance of finding balance. While academics were crucial for their future endeavors, sports played an equally vital role in shaping their characters. The discipline, teamwork, and resilience they developed on the field translated seamlessly into their personal and professional lives.
"I'll start off by saying that we got a lot of help from each other. That is one of the most important things, not just from people in our hostel, but from people in other hostels as well. So, I think that really helped. Even though we had to play some sort of sports and participate in events, just for exams we used to get a lot of help, a lot of interaction. We used to have a lot of human interaction, I thought. That really helped in preparing for tests," said Aditya Chilukuri, B.Tech, Mech. Engg., 1998.
Inspiring the Current Generation and Students
"It's your race. It's your life. Live it by your rules. So, don't worry about batch parity and competition and all of that stuff. Discover your true self. Make mistakes. This is the time to make mistakes and discover who you are, what your passions are. Be focused on that. These are the formative years of discovering yourself as an adult and what your dreams and passions are. Prepare yourself for all the challenges that you will face after IITM and win all of those small battles," said Mr. Sandeep Thangiah.
Sports, in particular, has the power to teach you valuable life lessons, including teamwork, resilience, and the ability to face losses with grace. "One of the things that sports does for you is it teaches you things about life. It teaches you things about losing which many of the folks that come into IIT Madras have not learned at that particular point in time. You play a game, you are bound to lose, and that builds your character. It teaches you to create teamwork. So, you know, there is a lifelong bond that you've basically made where, you know, you're depending on others to accomplish a larger task," said Mr. Ravi.
Like the old times, they end it with their style.
Who won the hockey gold? We did! We did! Who won the hockey gold? We did! We did! Who won the hockey gold? We did! We did! Hip hip hooray! Hip hip hooray!
Unforgettable Hockey Memories
As they gathered on the hockey field, memories came flooding back, and they couldn't help but share some of their most cherished moments. One of the standout memories for this Hockey team was defeating Taramani Bulls. “We kind of defeated a team called Taramani Bulls who were rampaging on the ground. They were defeating everybody. We all thought there was no chance that we would win against them, but we defeated them. Okay, that is something that's unforgettable.” said Mr. Saravana Kumar, B.Tech. Mech Engg, 1998. Though they thought victory was impossible, they overcame the odds and emerged triumphant. These victories showcased the indomitable spirit and resilience of this Hockey team.
The Inter-IIT Sports Meet in Kharagpur
The Inter-IIT Sports Meets were highly anticipated events, where IITs from all over the country came together to compete in various sports. Hockey, in particular, held a special place in their hearts. One of the most memorable experiences for this hockey team was participating in the Inter-IIT Sports Meet held in 1997 at IIT Kharagpur.
As a team, they faced several challenges leading up to the meet, including players being unable to participate due to injuries and academic commitments. Commenting about that incident, the captain of the hockey team shared his experience, “My favorite memory is from the last Inter IIT sports meet, 1997, which was at IIT Kharagpur. We didn't have any substitutes in the team. One person was down with, I think, jaundice; he was our goalkeeper. So, we had to substitute him at the last minute. With a backup, another person had to go and do some extra classes not to get a W grade. And then the third person had an injury and couldn't make it. So, we went entirety without any substitutes,” said Mr. Sandeep Thangiah, B.Tech, Mech. Engg., 1998.
The night before the final match against IIT Bombay, “I'd sprained my right ankle, so I was running on one leg and then in the final match was entirety with it, the night before IIT Bombay captain came and said, we don't want to thrash you. If we have an agreement, you can lose. I was honorably at 1- 0. I said, we'll settle it on the ground tomorrow. So the next day, half an hour before the match, I called the team and, said, this is what the IIT Bombay captain had to say. What do you guys want to do? And I said, like, we'll do our talking on the ground,” says Mr. Sandeep.
Mr. Sandeep, continues, “We won the match 3-1. IIT Bombay didn't know what happened in the first 10 minutes. We were 2-0 up. That was a fantastic memory.” It was a testament to their unity as a team.
Personal Triumphs and Special Moments
Their journey on the hockey field wasn't just about team wins. Each of them had personal triumphs and special moments that they hold dear. From scoring crucial goals to representing IITM on a national level, these achievements reinforced their belief in the importance of individual contributions to the team's success.
"It's hard to beat that memory because many of us were part of it. It is very special. Personally, in the same year, this match against Kharagpur, which actually performed surprisingly well against us. So, we didn't anticipate that kind of defense from them. But that match had a special moment for me personally, where I was able to score an amazing goal, which helped the team win. So, that is my special moment," said Mr. Ravi Uppala, B.Tech, Mech. Engg., 1998.
Nostalgic Reflections and Reconnecting with BatchmatesReconnecting with their batchmates after such a long time was an emotional and nostalgic experience. Despite the years that have passed, it felt like they had never been apart. The magic of those college days came alive as they shared stories, laughed, and reminisced about the adventures they had. "It feels really great to be here after such a long time. And, I was not sure if I could actually hold the (hockey) stick, but, looks like all the coaching from Mani sir is still there," says Vikram Rayabhari, B.Tech, CS. & Engg., 1998.
The bonds formed during their time at IITM remained unbreakable, with most of them hitting the hockey ground after a very long time. "I'm playing on this hockey field definitely after 25 years," says Prof. Andrew Thangaraj, B.Tech, Electr. Engg., 1998.
The Balance Between Academics and Sports
Both in academics and sports, it taught them the importance of finding balance. While academics were crucial for their future endeavors, sports played an equally vital role in shaping their characters. The discipline, teamwork, and resilience they developed on the field translated seamlessly into their personal and professional lives.
"I'll start off by saying that we got a lot of help from each other. That is one of the most important things, not just from people in our hostel, but from people in other hostels as well. So, I think that really helped. Even though we had to play some sort of sports and participate in events, just for exams we used to get a lot of help, a lot of interaction. We used to have a lot of human interaction, I thought. That really helped in preparing for tests," said Aditya Chilukuri, B.Tech, Mech. Engg., 1998.
Inspiring the Current Generation and Students
"It's your race. It's your life. Live it by your rules. So, don't worry about batch parity and competition and all of that stuff. Discover your true self. Make mistakes. This is the time to make mistakes and discover who you are, what your passions are. Be focused on that. These are the formative years of discovering yourself as an adult and what your dreams and passions are. Prepare yourself for all the challenges that you will face after IITM and win all of those small battles," said Mr. Sandeep Thangiah.
Sports, in particular, has the power to teach you valuable life lessons, including teamwork, resilience, and the ability to face losses with grace. "One of the things that sports does for you is it teaches you things about life. It teaches you things about losing which many of the folks that come into IIT Madras have not learned at that particular point in time. You play a game, you are bound to lose, and that builds your character. It teaches you to create teamwork. So, you know, there is a lifelong bond that you've basically made where, you know, you're depending on others to accomplish a larger task," said Mr. Ravi.
Like the old times, they end it with their style.
Who won the hockey gold? We did! We did! Who won the hockey gold? We did! We did! Who won the hockey gold? We did! We did! Hip hip hooray! Hip hip hooray!
