Pratima Barwa, the coach who gave wings to Adivasi hockey players
Chances are that most outside the modest Indian hockey universe would not have heard of Pratima Barwa. Perhaps she preferred it that way. Barwa, who passed away on Sunday aged 44 due to a brain haemorrhage, dedicated her life to hockey. She did what few could — identify and nurture young talents in one of the sport's biggest catchment areas, Jharkhand's Simdega. Because of her efforts, Indian hockey is in a better place — three players, including captain Salima Tete, are currently part of the national team that is in Europe for the FIH Pro League.
Grassroots coaching is one of the most unglamorous parts of sport because of the lack of incentive. Yet, without such coaches, the sporting ecosystem would be a non-starter. Selfless coaches like Barwa, who was from Khunti, have kept Indian hockey running. Her academy was rudimentary, and some of the coaching methods were, possibly, archaic. But Barwa, described as a 'mother figure' by her wards, did something far more impactful — she got children hooked to hockey and gave wings to their dreams.
Barwa's own aspirations to play for India were unfulfilled. She played for Bihar in the early 1990s. However, a left knee ligament injury in 1995 cut short her playing career. She then promised herself that she would help young players from the region. Barwa's journey as a coach began in 2008 after she completed a diploma from the National Institute of Sport in Patiala. A job with the Jharkhand government as a coach took her to Simdega, and the hard yards began. From sunrise to sunset, she would travel to schools and villages where there was the slightest promise of talent, convince the families to let their child play hockey and then groom them into world-class talents. Barwa never got the recognition she deserved. Her legacy will, however, be there for all to see each time the Indian team steps onto the hockey field.
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