S. V. Sunil

Somwarpet Vittalacharya Sunil (born 6 May 1989) is an Indian former field hockey player who played for the Indian national team.[1] He represented India during the 2012 London Olympics and won silver with them at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.[2][3] He received the Arjun Award in 2017.[4]

S. V. Sunil
Sunil (left) receiving the Arjuna Award, 2017
Personal information
Full name Somwarpet Vittalacharya Sunil
Born (1989-05-06) 6 May 1989
Kodagu, Karnataka, India
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Playing position Halfback
Senior career
Years Team
2007 Chennai Veerans
2008 Bangalore Hi-Fliers
Services
IOCL
2013–2017 Punjab Warriors
2022 Walton Dhaka
National team
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007–2022 India 271 (75)
Medal record
Men's field hockey
Representing  India
Asian Games
Gold medal – first place2014 IncheonTeam
Bronze medal – third place2018 JakartaTeam
Asia Cup
Gold medal – first place2007 Chennai
Gold medal – first place2017 Dhaka
Bronze medal – third place2022 Jakarta
Champions Trophy
Silver medal – second place2016 London
Silver medal – second place2018 Breda
Asian Champions Trophy
Gold medal – first place2011 Ordos City
Silver medal – second place2012 Doha
Commonwealth Games
Silver medal – second place2014 GlasgowTeam
Hockey World League
Bronze medal – third place2014–15 RaipurTeam
Bronze medal – third place2016–17 BhubaneswarTeam

Early life

Sunil was born on 6 May 1989 to Vittalacharya and Shanta in the Kodagu district of Karnataka, is a Vishwakarma Brahmin and is an ethnic Kannadiga. At the age of four, he lost his mother. His father worked as a carpenter and his brother, a goldsmith.[5] Born into a poor family, Sunil used bamboo for a hockey stick during his younger days.[6]

Career

Sunil took up hockey when he was 14 and trained at the Boys' Sports Company in Bangalore. In 2005, he was drafted into the Indian Army Service Corps as a havildar, where he shone as a player in the inter-services league. In 2007, he was signed by Chennai Veerans to play in the inaugural edition of the Premier Hockey League. The following season, he played for Bangalore Hi-Fliers.[7]

Sunil made his senior international debut in 2007 during the Asia Cup in Chennai, a tournament that India went on to win.[1] His first scoring game was against Sri Lanka in which he scored a hat-trick.[8] India defeated South Korea in the final of the tournament by a 7–2 margin, with Sunil scoring the second goal for his team.[9] In the 2008 edition of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, Sunil scored his only goal against Belgium.[10] India went to on to lose to Argentina in the final.[11] Sunil traveled with the team for the tournament's next edition to Malaysia. However, news of his father's death reached him a few hours before India's opening match against Egypt. Sunil went on to play the match, despite being asked by coach Harendra Singh to return home. He later remarked later that he was inspired by cricketer Sachin Tendulkar who played under similar circumstances.[12]

Having played through a right knee injury meant Sunil had to pull out of three major events of 2010: the World Cup, Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games. He returned to the squad after a surgery, and trained to ensure that he was "faster than ever before".[13] He was a member of the squad that won gold at the inaugural edition of the Asian Champions Trophy in 2011.[14] He scored four goals in the Champions Challenge I later that year and was the most by an India forward.[1] He had a successful outing in the qualifying round for the 2012 London Olympics[15] but a poor finals with his team finishing last.[16] He won bronze with India in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup a few prior scoring two goals in the tournament. His first goal, the winner, came against Pakistan in the 69th minute in a 2–1 victory.[17] He was included in Azlan Shah XI, the team of the tournament.[18]

Hockey India League

In the auction of the Hockey India League in 2013, Sunil was bought by the Punjab franchise for USD42,000[19] with his base price being US$13,900. The Punjab team was named Punjab Warriors. The team won in the 2016 season defeating Kalinga Lancers 6–1 in the final.[20]

2014–present

Sunil represented India at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, where India won the silver medal.[3] He was a regular member of the India squad until he was first dropped for his team's Argentina leg of the 2020–21 season of Pro League.[21] He was again left out of the squad named for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.[22] He subsequently announced retirement from the national team in October 2021.[23] However, he came back from retirement a few months later and was included in India 'A' core probables, picked up to train a developmental group for the senior national team.[24] He was named in the squad for the 2022 Asia Cup and was appointed vice-captain; India fielded its 'A' team for the competition.[25]

References
  1. "Sunil: a key forward and a special player". The Hindu. 9 February 2012. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
  2. "Sunil Sowmarpet Vitalacharya Bio, Stats, and Results". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  3. "Glasgow 2014 - Sunil Sowmarpet Vitalacharya Profile". g2014results.thecgf.com. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  4. Fernandes, Sandra Marina (30 August 2017). "The award is recognition of my hard work on the field: SV Sunil". The Times of India. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  5. "Kannadiga Sunil shines despite Father's demise". Our Karnataka. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
  6. "Meet the heroes of Hockey". Men's Health. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
  7. Rajput, Avinash (19 April 2010). "The Army braveheart". Pune Mirror. Archived from the original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  8. Ganesan, Uthra (2 September 2007). "India thrash Lanka 20-0 in Asia Cup". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  9. "India overwhelm Korea in Asia Cup final". Rediff.com. 9 September 2007. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  10. "India beat Belgium in Azlan Shah Hockey". The Times of India. PTI. 12 May 2008. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  11. "Argentina beat India in Azlan Shah final". The Times of India. PTI. 18 May 2008. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  12. "Tendulkar inspired Sunil to play on despite father's death". Hindustan Times. 15 April 2009. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  13. Vasavda, Mihir; Judge, Shahid (17 December 2017). "SV Sunil: Indian hockey's attacker and survivor of changing coaches". The Indian Express. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  14. "Former India hockey striker S V Sunil retires". Deccan Herald. PTI. 1 October 2021. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  15. Singh, Navneet (26 February 2012). "India beat France 8-1, qualify for London Olympics". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  16. "Humiliation in hockey: India finish with five defeats at Olympics". India Today. No. 7 August 2012. IANS. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  17. "Sunil's 69th minute goal earns India 2-1 victory over Pakistan". Deccan Herald. PTI. 31 May 2012. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  18. "Bronze and a smile for India in Azlan Shah Cup". The Times of India. 4 June 2012. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  19. "Hockey India League Auction: the final squads list". CNN. 16 December 2012. Archived from the original on 19 December 2012. Retrieved 14 January 2013.
  20. "Punjab Warriors thrash Kalinga Lancers 6-1 to clinch maiden HIL title". India Today. IANS. 21 February 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
  21. Veerappa, Manuja (30 March 2021). "SV Sunil ignored for Argentina sojourn as India return to action in FIH Pro League". The Times of India. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  22. Ganesan, Uthra (18 June 2021). "New-look men's squad for Tokyo". The Hindu. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  23. "Former India hockey striker S.V. Sunil retires". The Hindu. Press Trust of India. 1 October 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  24. "Hockey: Rupinder & Lakra Back From Retirement, Named in India A Core Probables". TheQuint. IANS. 6 March 2022. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  25. "Asia Cup 2022: Young Indian team needs to handle pressure in Asia Cup opener against Pakistan". The Times of India. 23 May 2022. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
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