A night out with the boys before the final goodbye

Serving the last few days with his employers, after he opted to pursue academics, Rasquinha will lead his team IOC in the PSPB tournament for one final time at the Bombay Hockey Association stadium.

Since this happens to be the last competitive game for Indian hockey’s Mr Congeniality, there is a farewell dinner organised for the IOC team at an undisclosed place in Bandra. And since four players in the IOC team were with Rasquinha in the 2001 Junior World Cup winning squad, trips down memory lane, sentimental speeches and a ‘he’s a jolly good fellow’ closing act are on the agenda.

“It’s going to be a long night and I hope I do not end up crying after the match tomorrow,” says Rasquinha. But that’s a tough ask as Rasquinha will be bidding goodbye to a life of living out of a suitcase and parting with friends who had shared his lows and highs on and off the field.

Devesh Chauhan, a 2001 junior World Cupper along with other IOC players Rajpal Singh, Inderjit Chandda and Deepak Thakur, gives an idea of what will be said during after-dinner speeches. “After Viren leaves us, there will be a dent in the team that will be difficult to fill. It will be tough to find a replacement for him,” says Chauhan.

Besides glowing tributes to Rasquinha the hockey player, there will also be best wishes for the future MBA. “Viren had reached the highest level of hockey, there was nothing left for him to conquer. Now I wish that even in his new chosen career he reaches the same heights,” says Chandda.

And that’s one reason why Rasquinha thought of totally giving up the game and concentrating on pursuing an MBA. “Initially, I thought of taking study leave but later I realised that it would be hectic and therefore I decided to resign,” he says.