Daughter's marriage forces coach CR Kumar to miss Argentina tour

CR Kumar (right)

He loves to go about his business behind the scenes, be it for the Indian men’s or women’s hockey teams at the senior or junior levels. Hard work and diligence are his middle names. That’s CR Kumar, who never quite hogs the limelight, but never spares any effort in giving his best for the team’s cause.

CR Kumar, who is currently serving the Indian senior women’s hockey team as assistant coach, is taking a well deserved break and not accompanying the national team for its upcoming tour of Argentina not because of anything else but on account of personal bliss.

The 53-year-old, who is employed with Southern Railways, has given the recent camp a miss as he was busy with the marriage preparations of his only daughter. “It is after a long time that I’m missing a camp as my only daughter is getting married. I applied for leave three months back and have on leave since late last month and will be missing the upcoming tour of Argentina,” Kumar says in an informal chat.

Kumar, who is best known for guiding the Indian junior men’s hockey team to glory in the 2011 Junior World Cup in Hobart when he had served as the team’s head coach, is excited at the prospect of getting busy for his daughter’s marriage. “She is an interior designer and is getting married to a guy, who studied in the UK and now works in the logistics industry in Dubai. The marriage was solemnized a few days back in Bengaluru,” he informs.

Kumar has also done his bit for the Indian senior men’s hockey team. He was the assistant coach of the Indian men’s team at the 1998 Utrecht World Cup and 2002 Kuala Lumpur World Cup. The man, who worked closely with the likes of Neil Hawgood and Mathias Ahrens, is expected to link up with the Indian senior women’s team next month. “I should be joining the Indian senior women’s team next month after the team returns from the tour of Argentina,” he signs off.