Dhanraj Pillay plans to set up hockey academy

"I want to set up a hockey academy and give something back to the game," former Indian hockey team captain Dhanraj Pillay told Gulf News from Mumbai.

With this objective in mind, Pillay found a novel method to raise money for the academy and at the same time protect the environment. All that he asks for is to hand over empty inkjet and laser toner cartridges used in printers and fax machines to Players Forum, an organisation he has set up to raise the money for the academy.

"Hockey is what made me, what I am today. So I have been looking for ways to give something back to game I love. I visited a lot of companies in the last four years for support to start an academy in Mumbai. They appreciated my idea, but were evasive when the money issue was brought up. This forced me to look for other options to make money," said Pillay.

"I play in league hockey in France, Germany, Malaysia and Holland. Thus, once in Holland I came in contact with a Dutch company that collected waste products to fund Special Olympics and Child Focus programmes. An Indian friend, with business interests in Holland came up with a proposal to collect fund for hockey, from waste.

The money required to launch my hockey development programme would be generated from used empty inkjet and Laser Toner cartridges discarded by people. An Eco friendly organisation LetsCorp Europe B.V. based in Netherlands has agreed to pay 1.25 German marks, which is equivalent to Rs25 (about Dh2) for every cartridge handed over, and they would recycle the same," he revealed.

Pillay needs around 60,000 cartridges, to meet the expected expenditure of Rs1.5 million to start the project. "Fifty trainees will be selected for the first phase of the camp between September 2001 and August 2002. The estimated cost for bringing the Players Forum into existence and the first phase of activities would be around Rs1.5 million, and I hope to achieve this by collecting 60,000 cartridges," he said

"My idea to start the academy is to give the youngsters the benefit of my international experience. This is something I could not get till I reached the national level. At the academy, youngsters from schools and colleges would be trained by Olympians and international hockey players from Mumbai, after an open selection trial at the Mumbai hockey stadium."

On why Indian hockey is finding it difficult to regain its lost glory, Pillay said: "India is crazy about cricket, like the UAE about football. Hockey has a following in India, only the professionalism is missing," he said.

Protecting the environment as well as contributing to a meaningful endeavour is what Pillay looks forward to, from hockey lovers in UAE. "For those interested, details may be obtained from Players Forum 8, Jolly Bhavan No.1, 10 New Marine Lines, Mumbai or call on 0091-22-2356956 or 2356957. Empty cartridges could be picked up by the Forum's representatives if contacted on helpline numbers: 0091-098203-15045/46 or 098200-21514 or 098214-15170," he said.