Former federation secretary Jothikumaran planning return to hockey in ‘elite’ fashion

Ex-IHF secretary general K Jothikumaran (right) with FIH chief Tayyab Ikram and AHF president Fumio Ogura (left) in Chennai yesterday

Former Indian Hockey Federation secretary general K Jothikumaran, who held office for a decade-and-a-half before quitting in 2008 after a sting operation alleged corruption, could soon be making a return to the game, albeit in a totally different capacity.

On Friday, he met with International Hockey Federation (FIH) president Tayyab Ikram and Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) president Fumio Ogura, where "hockey discussions were unavoidable though it was a strictly informal meeting," Jothikumaran tells mid-day.

"Both Tayyab and Fumio are old friends of mine and we were catching up after a good 16 years, since the 2007 Asia Cup that was also held at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium here just like this Asian Champions Trophy," adds Jothikumaran, 67, who has a real estate and restaurant business and is currently not associated with hockey in any way.

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The national sport, however, remains close to Jothikumaran's heart and he couldn't help, but put forward a suggestion to the two prominent men in world hockey. "I suggested that we should have a series of elite residential hockey academies. This is not just in Chennai, but across India, where we can recruit players and help them get an education as well as train them in hockey. It will be a thoroughly professional set up. Both Tayyab and Fumio were very impressed with my idea and offered me their support," reveals Jothikumaran.

Though there is no concrete plan just yet, he realises that the national federation, Hockey India, which replaced the erstwhile IHF, will need to be kept in the loop if and when his idea takes shape formally. "I'm ready for that too.

I only have the good of the game at heart like I always did," he added.