Men's Hockey World Cup: Meet defender Nilam Xess who lives without water & gas connection in Kutcha house

FIH Men's World Cup 2023 is set to kick-start today with India locking horns against Spain in their first match. One of India's players is Nilam Sanjeep Xess who is set to make his debut in this edition. The star defender has seen tough days and will now don the national jersey to help India win their first World Cup since 1975.

He, along with his friends, has been struggling to make ends meet, let alone practice for the showpiece event. According to his father Bipin Xess, "During his childhood days, Nilam practiced hockey with his elder brother and friends using bamboo sticks and balls made from torn clothes".

Currently, he is living in a kutcha house with no gas or water connection in Kadobahal village under Kuarmunda Block in Sundargarh district in Odisha. The kutch house has two rooms and can barely fit in all the family members. There is not even room to keep Nilam's medals trophies and certificates, all of which are kept on a table in the house.

However, now, authorities in the area launched an inquiry after getting news of Nilam's plight and have vowed to provide all kind of help to the family. "We will send an inquiry team following which the higher authorities will be apprised about the reality. Subsequently, all possible government help will be extended to the family," said Kuarmunda BDO Trupti Barei. But the official's word is the only hope left it seems for Nilam.

"We have not got any help from the government yet. We have no option but to live in the thatched house," said Nilam’s father Bipin Xess was quoted as saying by ANI. "When our son comes home during breaks, he also stays in this kutcha house. We will be grateful if the government provides us a pucca house under any scheme," said Nilam’s mother Jeera Xess.

For Nilam, life changed in 2010 when he was picked for a sports hostel in Sundergarh and there he realised that he could make money by playing hockey. "That’s when I got to know you can make money by playing hockey. Izzat milti hai (You earn respect). So I worked hard to become a player. And then, when I saw the London Olympics in 2012, I set myself a goal — to play for India," said Xess.

There has been no mainstream media coverage for Men's World Cup 2023 as much as other sports have, so let us also support them!