Hardik Singh, a hockey player for India, shared a depressing story about how spectators at an airport disregarded him and his colleagues in favor of click selfies with social media influencer Dolly Chaiwala.
India is still a cricket-loving country where it is still difficult for athletes from other sports to gain respect. Even while sports like badminton, hockey, athletics, etc. have become more popular in recent years, most non-cricketing athletes are still obscure, with the exception of a few well-known athletes. Hockey player Hardik Singh, from India, shared a disheartening story about a time when some of his teammates discovered that spectators were more interested in taking photographs with social media star Dolly Chaiwala than in acknowledging them.
In recent times, the Indian hockey team has performed admirably at the international level. They took home consecutive bronze medals from the Olympics, winning them in Tokyo and Paris. They defeated China in the final of the just ended Asian Champions Trophy to win the gold medal. Let, notoriety and acknowledgement appear to be absent from their existence.
“I seen it firsthand at the airport. There were five or six of us: Mandeep Singh, Harmanpreet Singh, and me. There was Dolly Chaiwala too. People did not recognize us because they were clicking with him. In a podcast, the 26-year-old Hardik stated, “We started looking at each other (feeling awkward).”He claimed, “Mandeep has more than 100 field goals, and Harmanpreet has scored more than 150,” giving a dismal impression of the nation’s infatuation with online celebrities.
Dolly Chaiwala’s distinctive method of brewing tea helped him become well-known. He quickly rose to fame on social media and even had the opportunity to offer Bill Gates tea. But even after taking home consecutive medals at the greatest event on earth—the Olympic Games—India’s hockey players are not receiving the credit they merit.
Athletes are not interested in fame or wealth. Hardik expressed pride in his 142 international caps to date. “As an athlete, there is no greater feeling than being watched and appreciated by your peers,” he added.
