He was on track to play for India in the Youth World Cup in 2016, catapulting the careers of many of his teammates, including current Indian captain Harmanpreet Singh and mercurial forwards Mandeep Singh, Gurjant Singh, midfielders Nilakanta Sharma and Sumit, among others.
But a failed doping test, the result of an injection administered by a doctor in his hometown for lower back pain, cost him two precious years in his budding career. Although his teammates later played on the Indian Senior team, he had to endure a two-year ban, and the future of hockey looked bleak.
In 2024, he is on track to make his first Olympic Games appearance, a pursuit he attributes to his innate quality of perseverance. "It wasn't easy. It was one of my darkest phases, with a lot of uncertainties. Players don't usually come out of a setback like this. Losing games for two years is a big void in the sport," Jarmanpreet recalled. who is now an Income Tax official.
"But I was persistent and knew I had to bounce back. I don't think I could have done this without a strong national structure where I could show the selectors that I still had it in me. In 2018, after Hockey India's Senior Men's National Championship, I was among the probable 50 in the camp. Hockey India gave me the opportunity to rebuild my career.
"I was selected for the senior men's national programme, where I got a chance to catch up with my teammates and make my Senior India debut. They saw that potential in me and I didn't give up on my dream of playing for India at the Olympics. "said Jarmanpreet.
Now in Switzerland, where the team is undergoing a mental conditioning camp, Jarmanpreet is excited and eager to experience his first appearance at the prestigious quadrennial event.
"The journey so far with this team has been incredible. We have been through the ups and downs as a strong unit. We are now focused on our goal and are in the last block of our preparations. I am super excited and eager to start our campaign at the Games Paris Olympics," he concluded.
But a failed doping test, the result of an injection administered by a doctor in his hometown for lower back pain, cost him two precious years in his budding career. Although his teammates later played on the Indian Senior team, he had to endure a two-year ban, and the future of hockey looked bleak.
In 2024, he is on track to make his first Olympic Games appearance, a pursuit he attributes to his innate quality of perseverance. "It wasn't easy. It was one of my darkest phases, with a lot of uncertainties. Players don't usually come out of a setback like this. Losing games for two years is a big void in the sport," Jarmanpreet recalled. who is now an Income Tax official.
"But I was persistent and knew I had to bounce back. I don't think I could have done this without a strong national structure where I could show the selectors that I still had it in me. In 2018, after Hockey India's Senior Men's National Championship, I was among the probable 50 in the camp. Hockey India gave me the opportunity to rebuild my career.
"I was selected for the senior men's national programme, where I got a chance to catch up with my teammates and make my Senior India debut. They saw that potential in me and I didn't give up on my dream of playing for India at the Olympics. "said Jarmanpreet.
Now in Switzerland, where the team is undergoing a mental conditioning camp, Jarmanpreet is excited and eager to experience his first appearance at the prestigious quadrennial event.
"The journey so far with this team has been incredible. We have been through the ups and downs as a strong unit. We are now focused on our goal and are in the last block of our preparations. I am super excited and eager to start our campaign at the Games Paris Olympics," he concluded.
