Sreejesh Ravindran

Parattu Raveendran Sreejesh (born 8 May 1988) is an Indian field hockey coach and former player. He captained the India national field hockey team and was a member of the squads that won bronze medals at the 2020 and 2024 Olympic Games. He received the FIH Men's Goalkeeper of the Year award in 2020, 2022, and 2024. Sreejesh was honoured with the Arjuna Award in 2015, Padma Shri in 2017, Khel Ratna in 2021, and Padma Bhushan in 2025 for his contributions to Indian field hockey. He served as the head coach of the Indian men's U21 team and Delhi SG Pipers in the Hockey India League. As head coach he guided the Indian team to win bronze at the 2025 FIH Junior World Cup in Tamilnadu.

Early life Sreejesh was born 8 May 1988, in Kizhakkambalam, a suburb of Kochi in the state of Kerala, to P. V. Raveendran and Usha, a family of farmers. He completed his primary education in St. Antony's Lower Primary School in Kizhakkambalam. He studied until the sixth standard in St. Joseph's High School in Kizhakkambalam. His brother Sreejith lives in Canada.

As a child, he trained as a sprinter, before moving on to long jump and volleyball. At 12, he joined the G. V. Raja Sports School in Thiruvananthapuram. This was where his coach suggested that he take up goalkeeping. He completed his graduation in History from Sree Narayana College, Chempazhanthy, Kerala.

Career International career Sreejesh made the Junior national team in 2004, in a match against Australia in Perth, in 2004. He made his debut in the senior national team in 2006, at the South Asian Games in Colombo. Following India's win at the 2008 Junior Asia Cup, he was awarded the 'Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament'. Having been a part of the Indian team for six years, though often losing his place to senior goalkeepers, Adrian D'Souza and Bharat Chettri, he has been a regular member since 2011, after saving two penalty stroke in the Asian Champions Trophy Final in Ordos City, China, against Pakistan, a match-winning performance. At the 2014 Champions Trophy and 2018 Champions Trophy, he was adjudged "Goalkeeper of the Tournament". Following impressive performances in 2014, he was nominated for the award of Best Male Goalkeeper; he eventually lost to Jaap Stockmann of the Netherlands. He was the captain of the team that won the silver medal at the 2016 Men's Hockey Champions Trophy held at London.

On 13 Jul 2016, Sreejesh took over as captain of the Indian hockey team from Sardar Singh. At the 2016 Olympics in Rio, Sreejesh led the Indian hockey team to the quarterfinals of the tournament .

At the Tokyo Olympics, on 5 August 2021, Sreejesh played a key role in defeating Germany to clinch the bronze medal for India, their first Olympic medal in hockey for 41 years. Sreejesh was a part of the team that won 2022 Commonwealth Games Silver, 2023 Asian Champion Trophy tite and 2022 Asian Games hockey Gold medal.

He also played a key role in India's bronze-medal winning journey at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. He retired from his international career post the Olympics games.

Club career At the auction of the inaugural season of the Hockey India League, Sreejesh was bought by the Mumbai franchise for 38,000. He played two seasons for their team, Mumbai Magicians. In 2014, he was bought by Uttar Pradesh Wizards for 69,000 and since the 2015 season, has been playing for them. Sreejesh became the second Indian to win the "World Athlete of the Year" after Rani Rampal.

Personal life Sreejesh married his longtime girlfriend Aneeshya, a former long jumper and an Ayurveda doctor. Their daughter Anusree was born in 2014. Their son Sreeansh was born in 2017.

Other activities

Sreejesh is currently employed as a joint director at the Government of Kerala's Department of General and Higher Education.

Sreejesh acted in many advertisement films and part of many reality shows, sports shows, podcasts, endorsements in the various medias including TV Channels and Social Media.

He is also involved in many social activities.

Awards and nominations