Born April 01, 1993, in Gurdaspur District, Punjab, Ramandeep Singh is an ace in the forward line of Indian senior team. He stands at 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in). His family has had a farming background with father being a farmer and mother a homemaker.
Ramandeep Singh’s Early Life and Career.
Ramandeep was inspired by his uncle Late Kashmir Singh Bal to pick up the sport.
At the age of 11, Ramandeep joined the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Academy, Amritsar and studied as well trained there for six years. After playing in sub-junior, junior categories, being included in the National Camp and winning the Junior, U-21, Sultan of Johor Cup at Malaysia, his moment of special reckoning came when as a 20-year-old he was selected to play in the Senior team at the 2013 Asia Cup, in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
This remarkable forward’s career has been a saga of scoring goals in big matches and battling several career-threatening injuries and defeating them all, with his eagerness rather an insatiable desire to wear the Indian jersey again. Ramandeep was injured during the 2014 World Cup after being was hit on the face by a ball.
Regarded by many as a Big-match player, he has often proved right, the epithet given to him.
At the International Hockey Federation’s (FIH) Hockey World League, semi-finals, 2015, played at Antwerp, Belgium, Ramandeep scored both goals in India’s 2-2 draw with arch-rivals Pakistan.
At the Asian Champions Trophy, 2016, Ramandeep scored the winning goal as India defeated Pakistan 3-2. He was to the fore again scoring the second goal as India and South Korea tied 2-2 at the end of regulation time. India won that match on penalties 5-4.
At the Hero Asia Cup, 2017, played at Dhaka, Bangladesh, India defeated Pakistan 3-1 in which Ramandeep scored the second goal to consolidate the lead for the country. It was Malaysia in the final versus India and the first goal came off his stick as Team India overcame the Malaysians 2-1in a Thrilling match.
The 2017 Hockey World League match between India and Pakistan for the 5th to 8th place Ramandeep again was among the scorers as India thrashed Pakistan 6-1.
When Pakistan’s Mubashar Ali’s drag-flick in the last minute found the equaliser for his team at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games at Glasgow, the stage was set for payback time. Champions Trophy in Breda, 2017 was a repeat battle as India opened their campaign against the arch-rivals. This time the scoreline read 4-0 in India’s favour. Ramandeep scaled the momentum towards India netting the country’s first goal with his splendid dive with and a superb assist for the fourth goal by forward Lalit Upadhyay resulting in Pak’s rout. But rather than celebrating the fourth goal he clutched his knee and sat on the sidelines unable to move or walk. MRI Scans revealed he had suffered a full-thickness condral fracture-injury in the centre of his right knee
He had gotten injured as India were set to clash with Defending Champions Australia in their next outing. The injury kept Ramandeep out of the team for the 2018 Asian Games as well as the Men’s World Cup in Bhubaneswar 2018.
Ramandeep was resigned to recuperate after a major surgery and tracked the fortunes of the Indian team from the sidelines. The severity of injury had come as a real shock to the ace forward who did not disclose the injury to his family until he could start walking. He credits the team that kept his spirits up during the mental, emotional turbulence he endured as a player missing the action on the field representing the country to glory as he had always done.
He was dropped from the squad for the Commonwealth Games, 2018 as the then coach Sjoerd Marijne chose a team that fitted his strategies, dropping Ramandeep in the process.
Ramandeep returned to action during the ninth Hockey India Senior Men’s National Championship in Gwalior, February 2019, turning out for his home state Punjab. But a stress fracture in his ankle sustained during the Nationals further delayed Ramandeep’s comeback in the national squad. He had to give it another three months for it to heal. But owing to the injury he had to miss the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, played in March 2019.
Ramandeep who had last worn the India colours at the Champions Trophy in Breda, 2017 found himself in the team jersey again as he was recalled to the side for FIH Hockey Series Finals, June 2019, played in Bhubaneswar. It is his unwavering passion for the sport and to serve the country that saw him through the phase where he could do nothing other than watch the team from the sidelines. He reflected gratitude to the team, support staff, Hockey India, family and friends that enabled his recovery from the injury back to action on the turf, in India’s Jersey.
Ramandeep shared his emotions with Hockey India, “Now that I have been selected and have with me the newly launched India jersey, it reinstates my belief and confidence. I am excited to play for India again. I have literally counted days for this moment, and I will do my best for the team which stood by me during my struggle over the past year.”
He achieved the distinction of 100 international caps for the Indian hockey team in 2017 in August 2017 while till June 03, 2019, he had 124 International caps to his credit.
Ramandeep was appointed to the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police by the Punjab Government under the sports quota in December 2016.
This ace Indian forward has played a crucial role in a number of Indian wins and has been a part of the team that won the silver at the Asia Cup, 2013 at Ipoh,
Silver at the Commonwealth Games 2014, at Glasgow,
Gold at Asian Games, 2014, held at Incheon,
Gold at the Asian Champions Trophy in 2016, at Kuantan,
Gold at the 2017 edition of the Asia Cup played in Dhaka,
Silver at the Champions Trophy in 2016 in London,
Silver again, at the 2018 Champions Trophy at Breda, Netherlands.
