Birendra Lakra

Birendra Lakra
	Lakra in 2017
Personal information
Born	3 February 1990 (age 34); Lachchada, Sundargarh, Odisha, India
Height	1.67 m (5 ft 6 in)
Weight	68 kg (150 lb)
Playing position	Defender Arjuna awardee
Club information
Current club	BPCL
Senior career
Years	Team
2012	Chandigarh Comets
	BPCL
0000–2008	Orissa Steelers
2013–2014	Ranchi Rhinos
2015–2017	Ranchi Rays
2017–	BPCL
National team
Years	Team
2012–2022	India
Medal record
Men's field hockey
Representing India
Olympic Games
Asian Games
Asia Cup
Champions Trophy
Asian Champions Trophy
World League
Commonwealth Games
	Last updated on: 5 August 2021

Birendra Lakra (born 3 February 1990) is an Indian former field hockey player. He represented India in men's field hockey and recently came out of retirement alongside Rupinderpal Singh and captained the Indian team in the Asia Cup held in Jakarta, Indonesia to a bronze medal. In the 2020 Tokyo Olympics also, he also served as the vice-captain of Indian team.

Personal life

Birendra Lakra was born on 3 February 1990 in the village of Lachchada in the Sundargarh District of Odisha, on the border with Jharkhand. He was born to a family belonging to an Oraon tribe.^{[citation needed]}

Career

Birendra Lakra is a player for the Rourkela Steel Plant's SAIL Hockey Academy.^[1] He was included in the Indian junior team for the first time for the Singapore tour in 2007. He represented India in the Test series against South Africa in 2012, in the Champions Challenge tournament in South Africa in 2011, at the SAAF Games at Dhaka in 2010, at the Youth Olympics at Sydney in 2009 and at the Junior World Cup at Singapore in 2009.

He scored the first goal in India's victory in the final game of the Olympic Hockey Qualifying Tournament against France. He played a key role in taking India in to the semifinals of 2012 Champions Trophy. India defeated Belgium with the help of a single goal that was produced by the pass given by Birendra Lakra to the forward^{[clarification needed]}. With this India reached the semifinals of the Champions Trophy for the first time in eight years.

At the 2014 Commonwealth Games, Lakra won a silver medal with India.^[2]

Hockey India League

In the auction of the inaugural Hockey India League season, Lakra was bought by the Ranchi franchise for US$41,000^[3] with his base price being US$9,250. The Ranchi team was named Ranchi Rhinos. The team finished first in the inaugural season and third in the 2014 season. Following disputes between the franchise and Hockey India, the team decided to pull out, after which Lakra signed with the Ranchi Rays franchise from the 2015 season.^[4]

References

^ "Profile: Birendra Lakra". NDTV. 20 July 2012. Archived from the original on 16 February 2013. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
^ "Glasgow 2014 - Birendra Lakra Profile". g2014results.thecgf.com. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
^ "Hockey India League Auction: the final squads list". CNN-IBN. 16 December 2012. Archived from the original on 19 December 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
^ "Ranchi Rhinos make way for the Ranchi Rays". austinsmith.co.za. Archived from the original on 3 August 2020. Retrieved 23 January 2015.

External links

Birendra Lakra at Hockey India
Birendra Lakra at the International Hockey Federation
Birendra Lakra at Olympedia
Birendra Lakra at the Commonwealth Games Federation (archived)

[1] "Profile: Birendra Lakra". NDTV. 20 July 2012. Archived from the original on 16 February 2013. Retrieved 17 January 2013.

[2] "Glasgow 2014 - Birendra Lakra Profile". g2014results.thecgf.com. Retrieved 25 February 2019.

[3] "Hockey India League Auction: the final squads list". CNN-IBN. 16 December 2012. Archived from the original on 19 December 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2013.

[4] "Ranchi Rhinos make way for the Ranchi Rays". austinsmith.co.za. Archived from the original on 3 August 2020. Retrieved 23 January 2015.

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