Indian hockey striker Mandeep Singh may not have acquired a cult figure like his captain Harmanpreet Singh or former captain Manpreet Singh, but when he lurks up front, opposing defenders dare not underestimate him.

The 29-year-old prolific goal scorer will play a key role in India’s Paris Olympic campaign after being part of the bronze medal-winning team at the Tokyo Games. According to his sister Bhupinderjeet Kaur, Mandeep’s obsession with hockey has only grown over the years, to the point that he gets restless if he stays away from the national training camp for even a few days.

“He was so crazy about hockey that he would come home from school, skip meals and go straight to practice. As Mandeep grew older, his dedication only grew stronger.

“Even now, when I talk to him during a holiday, he says he is having fun at home but after 15 days he starts missing the camp,” Kaur said in an episode of ‘Hockey Te Charcha’, highlighting her brother’s passion for the sport.

Mandeep’s stunning performance against Belgium in the semi-final of the Tokyo Olympics and his speed had left their rivals confused but the Red Lions recovered to beat India 5-2, dashing their gold medal hopes.

India, however, returned with bronze, making each player a national hero. But Kaur says Mandeep just doesn’t want to be in the limelight.

“He would rather be seen as a simple boy than a star,” said Kaur.

Kaur recalled the celebrations at home when India won the bronze medal in Tokyo by beating Germany and said everyone was proud.

“We were all watching it on TV. Mandeep looked up with tears in his eyes, having a moment to himself. At home, everyone was praying, fingers crossed, hoping for victory. When we finally won, it felt like we had achieved something monumental. The atmosphere at home was electric with joy and pride,” she said.

Mandeep’s prolific goal-scoring exploits have seen him be part of several successful campaigns, including the 2016 Junior World Cup title in Lucknow, gold at the 2017 Asia Cup, the 2018 and 2023 Asian Champions Trophy titles, silver at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and gold at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, which secured India automatic qualification for Paris.

Kaur has built a bond with the entire Indian team and she says all the players respect her and she wants them to return from Paris as successful players.

“Harmanpreet once asked where his rakhi was, and from then on I started sending it to all of them (players). They call me their sister, and I feel the same.”

She is confident that India will return from Paris with a gold medal.

“The team has become so perfect that they will win and take home the gold,” she said.