Is Lalit Upadhyay, Shahid's hometown boy, the last of the Varanasi gharana?

When Mohammed Shahid, a magician with the hockey stick from Varanasi, was playing in an exhibition match at the UP College around 2005, a wide-eyed Lalit Upadhyay was among the ball boys at the venue. Little did Lalit know that one day, he would be recognised as one of the bearers of that great artistic legacy in what has become an otherwise hit-and-run sport these days.

Now 32, Lalit – a member of the so called ‘golden generation’ of Indian hockey which claimed back-to-back bronze medals in Tokyo and Paris Olympics – called time on his international career earlier this week. It’s been a fascinating journey for the forward, hailed for his kalakari (artistry) inside the rival D, which had been anything but smooth with it’s early challenges against poverty and fight against the stigma of being involved in a sting operation as a teenager.

“All I have is gratitude for the Almighty. When India won the Olympic gold in Moscow 1980, Shahid was the lone representative from Varanasi, a city which had been home of hockey greats like him, Vivek Singh and Rajiv Mishra. It was after 41 years that I was someone from the same city to stand at an Olympic podium in Tokyo,” remarked Lalit, now a deputy superintendent with the UP Police.

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Taking to his social media handle, the veteran wrote while announcing his retirement: “The journey began in a small village, with limited resources but limitless dreams. From facing a sting operation to standing on the Olympic podium — not once, but twice — it’s been a path full of challenges, growth, and unforgettable pride.”

While retirement news of hockey stars may not create as much of a ripple in the psyche of the Indian sports buffs like cricket, but signs are that heroes of the group which ended a four-decade drought of Olympic medals are slowly on their way out. If it was P. Sreejesh, the rock beneath the Indian bar after Paris after four Olympic appearances, it’s Lalit’s turn now — though some of his peers like former captain Manpreet Singh are still going strong.

Asked if he could have waited till next year’s Asian Games for a final flourish, Lalit told National Herald: “See, I wanted to leave at a situation when you are asking me if I could have played till next year. It’s each to their own but I didn’t want to drag my career to a point when you all say why isn’t he retiring?”

While the genius of Shahid has been inspirational for the next generation from his birthplace, who try and emulate his style where dribbling is the king, it’s but a reflection of the Uttar Pradesh gharana – given birth to by the iconic Major Dhyan Chand, who was born in Allahabad (now Prayagraj). However, it took the city of ghats and temples more than two decades to send another of its sons to the Olympics after Rahul Singh at Atlanta 1996 — that was Lalit.

Lalit UpadhyayYou have to dare to dodge as that’s the asset of Indian hockey and combine speed and athleticism with it. In Holland, there is a venue where the features of all top teams are inscribed on the track and we were proud to see Indian dribbling written there. We cannot afford to let it die

A religious person, Lalit was quick to point out how providence may have often helped him during the high points of his journey.

“It was 11.8.2021 when I headed straight from the airport to Kashi Vishwanath temple with the Tokyo bronze medal. Three years later, it was again the same date in 2024 when I landed up at the temple with the Paris silverware round my neck,” said Lalit, whose wife Diksha had also been a hockey player with Railways.

What would be his word of advice to the youngsters who want to adhere to the art of deception with the stick in a sport now dominated by power?

“You have to dare to dodge as that’s the asset of Indian hockey and combine speed and athleticism with it. In Holland, there is a venue where the features of all top teams are inscribed on the track and we were proud to see Indian dribbling written there. We cannot afford to let it die,” he said.

Moving on, how does Lalit plan to contribute to Indian hockey?

“I will be a part of the UP Rudras team which played in the revived version of Hockey India League last year. As someone who comes from an impoverished background, I have tried to do my bit for needy kids across UP by providing for their kits. If Indian hockey needs my help in any capacity, I am always available.”  

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