P. R. Sreejesh Height, Age, Wife, Family, Biography
Quick Info→
Weight: 6'
Age: 38 Years
Hometown: Kizhakkambalam, Kerala
Bio/Wiki | |
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Full name | Parattu Raveendran Sreejesh [1]The Times of India |
Names earned | The Wall of Indian Hockey |
Nickname | PR |
Profession(s) | Retired Field Hockey Player, Hockey Coach |
Physical Stats & More | |
Height (approx.) | in centimeters- 183 cm in meters- 1.83 m in feet & inches- 6’ |
Weight (approx.) | in kilograms- 79 kg in pounds- 174 lbs |
Eye Colour | Black |
Hair Colour | Black |
Hockey | |
International Debut | South Asian Games 2006, Colombo |
Retirement | 8 August 2024 |
Jersey Number | India 16 |
Coach(s)/Mentor(s) | • M. Arif Ahmed Farhath [Club] • Terry Walsh [National] • Jayakumar • Ramesh Kolappa • Harendra Singh |
Position | Goalkeeper |
Medals | Gold • 2014: Asian Game held in Incheon Silver • 2014: Commonwealth Games held in Glasgow • 2016: Men’s Hockey Champions Trophy held in London Bronze • 2015: Men’s FIH Hockey World League held in Raipur • 2024: Paris Olympics |
Achievements | • 'Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament' 2013 Asia Cup, Malaysia • 'Goalkeeper of the Tournament’ 2014 Champions Trophy, India |
Awards, Honours, Achievements | • Padma Shri (2017) • Arjuna Award (2015) • Baljith Singh Goalkeeper of the Year Award (2014) • Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award (2021) • FIH Goalkeeper of the Year Award (2021, 2022, 2024) |
Personal Life | |
Date of Birth | 8 May 1986 (Thursday) [2]Sree Narayana College Kollam |
Age (as of 2024) | 38 Years |
Birthplace | Kizhakkambalam, Kerala |
Zodiac sign | Taurus |
Signature | |
Nationality | Indian |
Hometown | Kizhakkambalam, Kerala |
School | St. Antony's Lower Primary School, Kizhakkambalam St. Joseph High School, Kizhakkambalam |
College/University | Sree Narayana College, Kollam, Kerala |
Educational Qualifications | Graduation in History |
Ethnicity | Malayali [3]Instagram-P. R. Sreejesh |
Food Habit | Non-Vegetarian |
Hobbies | Reading Books, Cooking |
Tattoo | Tribal Tattoo on left shoulder |
Controversy | P. R. Sreejesh was allegedly charged an extra Rs 1500 by the AirAsia for carrying his equipment bag that was not even over the stipulated weight limit while returning from Malaysia after winning the Asian Champions Trophy 2016. P. R. Sreejesh took it to to Twitter and tweeted a picture of the bill quoting "extra charges for the sports equipment bag which come below 15kg ??Are they expecting me to carry makeup kit?? ..funny concept @AirAsia" |
Relationships & More | |
Marital Status | Married |
Marriage Date | 12 May 2013 |
Marriage Place | Maha Vishnu Temple at Kizhakambalam |
Family | |
Wife/Spouse | Aneeshya (Former long jumper and an Ayurveda doctor) |
Children | Son- Sreeansh Daughter- Anusree |
Parents | Father- P. V. Raveendran (Farmer) Mother- Usha (Homemaker) |
Siblings | Brother- Sreejith Parattu Raveendran (Real estate agent ) |
Favourites | |
Hockey Players | Adrian Albert D'souza, Baljit Dadwal, Dhanraj Pillay |
Athlete | P. T. Usha |
Cricketer | Sachin Tendulkar |
Cusine | South Indian |
Food | Sambar Rice |
Beverage | Filter Coffee |
Some Lesser Known Facts About P. R. Sreejesh
- P. R. Sreejesh is an Indian professional hockey player positioned as a goalkeeper in the national team. He is the recipient of the prestigious Arjuna Award (2015) and the Padma Shri (2017).
- During his childhood, P. R. Sreejesh was fond of playing sports whether it be long jump, volleyball, or sprinting. When he was 12 his parents enrolled him at GV Raja Sports School in Thiruvananthapuram, a school where Sreejesh could get more exposure to sports.
- Sreejesh’s couch at GV Raja Sports School suggested him to take up hockey as his professional sport but Sreejesh was not impressed with his idea then. Talking about choosing hockey, P. R. Sreejesh, in an interview, said,
Hockey was the last resort. Growing up, I was on the heavier side. I had tried shot put but I didn’t have the power. I didn’t have the athleticism to be good in basketball and volleyball, but being a hockey goalkeeper suited my physique. Surprisingly, I was rather good at it.”
- After trying his hand in a number of sports, P. R. Sreejesh opted for hockey when the hockey coach at the sports school, Jayakumar, choose him to play in the school team as the goalkeeper for the hockey team. After that, Sreejesh played in several interschool and state-level tournaments. P. R. Sreejesh’s first major tournament that he played was the Nehru Cup.
- P. R. Sreejesh made it to the Junior national team in 2004 and played his first match against Australia held in Perth. In 2006, Sreejesh became part of the senior national team playing his debut match at the 2006 South Asian Games in Colombo.
- During the initial phase of his career, Sreejesh did not perform extraordinarily good and was made to sit in the stands as a substitute player. He came into the limelight after he made a historic defence of a penalty stroke against Pakistan in the 2011 Asian Champions Trophy Final.
- P. R. Sreejesh played a vital role in making India win at the Asia Cup of 2013. His outstanding performance as a goalkeeper also earned him the title of “Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament'” 2013 Asia Cup, Malaysia.
- In 2014, Sreejesh’s presence of mind and activeness in the field helped the Indian hockey team to earn a gold medal in the 2014 Asian Games. Sreejesh was honoured with the “Goalkeeper of the Tournament” 2014 Champions Trophy, India after the tournament.
- On 13th July 2016, P. R. Sreejesh was appointed as the captain of the Indian Hockey Team. India played several international tournaments including the 2016 Rio Olympics under his leadership. The Indian team made it to the quarterfinals of the tournament at the 2016 Rio Olympics, which was a great achievement for the Indian hockey team. Under his captaincy, Indian team won a silver medal in the 2016 Champions Trophy, but due to his under average performance as a goalkeeper in the team he was replaced by Manpreet Singh for the upcoming tournaments.
- In 2018, he again proved his efficiency on the field by directing India to a silver medal in Breda Champions Trophy and a bronze medal in the Jakarta Asian Games.
- P. R. Sreejesh also played a long career as a club player. He was bought by Mumbai Magicians for US$38,000 and played for Mumbai Magicians from 2013 to 2015 in Hockey India League matches. Next, he played for UP Wizards for US$69,000 in 2015.
- In 2018, P. R. Sreejesh suffered from ACL, MCL, and meniscus injuries on his right knee, for which he had to stay away from the field for a duration of more than eight months and he even had to learn how to walk again. Sreejesh made his comeback on the field when he travelled to New Zealand for a four-nation test series.
- In 2021, P. R. Sreejesh lead team India to win a bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics under his leadership. This is the first medal after 1980 to be won by the Indian hockey team at any Olympic tournament.
- A road in Sreejesh’s town is named after him for his contribution to Indian Hockey.
- P. R. Sreejesh loves reading books in his leisure time.
- P. R. Sreejesh has walked the runway as a model for many clothing brands.
- On 8 August 2024, Sreejesh announced his retirement before India’s match for the Bronze medal in the Paris Olympics. He penned an emotional note while announcing it on social media and said,
Today, I play my last match for India. Every save, every dive, every roar of the crowd will forever echo in my soul. Thank you, India, for believing in me, for standing by me. This is not the end, but the beginning of cherished memories.”
- Soon after he announced his retirement, Hockey India appointed him as the head coach of the junior men’s team. He had earlier expressed his desire to work as a coach for the Indian team.
- He was later selected to lead the Indian contingent as a flag bearer, alongside Manu Bhaker, in the closing ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
- In August 2024, Hockey India announced the retirement of jersey no. 16 from the senior men’s team as a tribute to PR Sreejesh. Talking about it, the senior men’s team, secretary general of Hockey India said,
We will retain it in the juniors so that he can create many more Sreejesh.”
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