Birendra Lakra

Birendra Lakra
Personal information
Born	February 3, 1990 (age 34); Rourkela, Odisha, India
Height	167 cm (5 ft 6 in)
Weight	68 kg (150 lb)
Playing position	Fullback
Senior career
Years	Team
2012–present	Chandigarh Comets
	BPCL
–2008	Orissa Steelers
2013–2014	Ranchi Rhinos
2015–present	Ranchi Rays
National team
Years	Team
–present	India
Medal record
Men’s Field Hockey
Representing India
Hockey World League
Asian Games
Commonwealth Games
Sultan Azlan Shah Cup
	Last updated on: 8 December 2015

Birendra Lakra (born 3 February 1990) is an Indian professional field hockey player. He represented India in Men's Hockey during the 2012 London Olympics.^[1] Lakra's elder brother Bimal has played as a midfielder for India. His sister Asunta Lakra has played for India's women's hockey team and has captained the side.^[2]

Personal life

Birendra Lakra was born on 3 February 1990 in the Simdega district of Jharkhand. He was born to the Oraon tribe family in a small village of Nongada in Jharkhand in the border of Odisha.

Career

Birendra Lakra is a player of the Rourkela Steel Plant’s SAIL Hockey Academy.^[3] Included in the Indian junior team for the first time for Singapore tour in 2007. He represented India in the Test series against South Africa in 2012, the Champions Challenge tournament in South Africa in 2011, the SAAF Games at Dhaka in 2010, at the Youth Olympics at Sydney in 2009, at the Junior World Cup at Singapore in 2009.

He scored the first goal in India's stupendous 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 magical pass given by Birendra Lakra to the forward. With this India entered the semifinals of champions trophy after eight long years.

Hockey India League

In the auction of the inaugural Hockey India League season, Lakra was bought by the Ranchi franchise for USD 41,000^[4] with his base price being USD 9,250. The Ranchi team was named Ranchi Rhinos. The team finished 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.^[5]

References

^ "London Olympics 2012: Player profile".
^ "New Indian women's hockey captain: Asunta from Lakra family of Simdega!". Bihar Days. 2011-12-01. Retrieved 2013-01-17.
^ "Profile: Birendra Lakra". NDTV. 2012-07-20. Retrieved 2013-01-17.
^ "Hockey India League Auction: the final squads list". CNN-IBN. 2012-12-16. Retrieved 2013-01-17.
^ "Ranchi Rhinos make way for the Ranchi Rays". austinsmith.co.za. Retrieved 23 January 2015. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)

External links

Birendra Lakra at Hockey India

[1] "London Olympics 2012: Player profile".

[2] "New Indian women's hockey captain: Asunta from Lakra family of Simdega!". Bihar Days. 2011-12-01. Retrieved 2013-01-17.

[3] "Profile: Birendra Lakra". NDTV. 2012-07-20. Retrieved 2013-01-17.

[4] "Hockey India League Auction: the final squads list". CNN-IBN. 2012-12-16. Retrieved 2013-01-17.

[5] "Ranchi Rhinos make way for the Ranchi Rays". austinsmith.co.za. Retrieved 23 January 2015. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)

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