The shy guy. The wise guy. Always smiling and most emotional. Yet the least expressive guy. These personality traits made Lalit Kumar Upadhyay the most endearing person among his peers. But it was his calm aggression during every storm, on and off the field, that earned him respect and made him the integral part of the Indian men’s hockey team for over a decade.A journey in the Indian jersey that lasted nearly 11 years — studded with two Olympic bronze medals (Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024), Asian Games gold (Hangzhou 2022) and bronze (Jakarta 2018), Asian Champions Trophy gold (Oman 2018, Malaysia 2016) and bronze (Dhaka 2021) and Arjuna Award (2011) in his kitty — will now come to an end as the 31-year-old Lalit announced his international retirement on Sunday evening.“This journey began in a small village, with limited resources but limitless dreams. From facing a sting operation to standing on the Olympic podium — not once, but twice — it’s been a path full of challenges, growth and unforgettable pride,” wrote Lalit in his farewell post on Instagram.Born in the village of Bhagatpur in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, Lalit’s stellar career began on a rough note when, for no fault of his, the then 17-year-old became a needless victim of a controversial sting operation aimed at exposing corruption in Indian hockey in 2008. It was this early jolt that Lalit later said gave him the courage to fight for his dreams.
