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Regular-article-logo Wednesday, 08 April 2026

PARGAT INSTILLED PROFESSIONALISM 

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BY INDRANIL MAJUMDAR Published 04.04.02, 12:00 AM
Calcutta, April 4 :    Calcutta, April 4:  Pargat Singh has induced a new sense of professionalism and accountability into the Punjab Police side. The soft spoken and introvert former India skipper has his own ways of functioning. Once he took over as coach a-year-and-a-half ago, the new outlook and work culture has paid dividends. The frequent call-ups for the players to the national camp makes his job difficult at times, but he does have the ability to motivate youngsters to cash in on the stars' absence. The selection is done by Pargat at the end of the season in June-July along with assistant coach and former international Manpreet Dhillon. 'Most of the time we have five/six players in the national camp. Hence we hardly get time to train together. But we always try to keep the boys on their toes and get the understanding going,' Pargat, who is an SP with Punjab Police, told The Telegraph. It is the bonhomie that Pargat stresses on in developing the camaraderie among the players. That remains his secret to success. On the eve of the Beighton Cup final, he ensured everyone attended the team dinner at a friend's place. Today's triumph is their third major success in an all India meet this season having already won the Police Games and another tournament in Punjab. In all, they have won three of the four meets they participated. The players practised on the astroturf in Jalandhar's Burton Park and they had to do with a 15-day stint on grass as a build-up to this meet. Initial problems 'Initially we did face a lot of problems but we improved with every passing day. The stopping and driving from penalty corners were our main areas of concern,' captain Daljit Singh Dhillon said. The element of having to play in grass even prompted Baljit Singh Dhillon to stay back, says a source. But all this hardly proved a major obstacle in the end. Three of the players are inspectors of Punjab Police while five hold the sub-inspectors rank. The rest are assistant sub inspectors. More than a promotion in their workplace, it is the hunger to represent the country and do well at the international level that serves as adrenaline to the players. That remains their ultimate motive and the stint with the police team is only a learning place for tougher battles ahead. World Cupper Kanwalpreet Singh, who was adjudged Man of the Final, says it in as many words. 'My aim is to win an Olympic gold for India,' he says, trying to hide his shame for the poor show in Kuala Lumpur.    
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