Yashdeep Siwach carries mother, Pritam’s legacy to WC

Former India women’s hockey captain Pritam Rani Siwach walked onto the field at the 1998 World Cup in Utrecht long before her son, Yashdeep, was born.

Nearly three decades later, destiny has brought the family full circle.

Yashdeep is set to make his senior World Cup debut in the very same country where his mother represented India. And when he steps on the field, it will make the Siwachs the first known mother-son duo in Indian hockey to feature at the sport’s biggest tournament. The 26-year-old defender has been named in India’s squad for the World Cup, to be held in the Netherlands (Amstelveen) and Belgium (Wavre) from August 15 to 30, turning the tournament into an emotional milestone for the family.

“When I got selected, the first person I told was my mother. She became quite emotional because she had also played in the World Cup in Utrecht in 1998,” Yashdeep told PTI. “For me, representing India in the World Cup in the same country where my mother played is something very special.”

Pritam, one of India’s finest midfielders, captained the national team and was part of the side that won the historic gold medal at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester. Although India finished 12th at the 1998 World Cup, she scored twice against South Korea. Long before he donned the India jersey, Yashdeep’s introduction to hockey came through his mother’s memories. At home, he often leafed through albums filled with photographs from her playing days, observing the action shots, team pictures and tournament moments, unaware that one day he would create a similar collection of his own.

“She has a complete album with action photographs, tournament pictures and team photos. I’ve been looking at them since childhood. I am also in touch with many of her former teammates and keep getting guidance from them,” he said.

Initially drawn to swimming, Yashdeep gradually gravitated towards hockey. He accompanied his parents to national championships and watched the 2010 World Cup in New Delhi from the stands. His childhood, however, was also shaped by the realities of having an international athlete as a mother. National camps often kept Pritam away from home for months at a stretch, in an era before smartphones and video calls.

“When I was very young, mom used to stay away for long camps. There were no video calls then. My father and grandparents looked after me, but whenever I missed her, he would take me to meet her if the camp was in Patiala or somewhere nearby,” Yashdeep recalled.

“I also remember going to the airport to see her off whenever the team travelled abroad. Once, before an Olympic qualifier tour, my father took me to the hotel and I got to spend an entire day with her.”

Only after becoming part of the national camp himself did he fully appreciate the sacrifices behind his mother’s career. “I didn’t understand it as a child, but now I know how much hard work and sacrifice it takes to be and stay in the national team. It is difficult just to make the squad, and even harder to perform consistently for so many years,” he said.