The 32-year-old athlete is also planning an expansion into Canada, with a Vancouver-based academy expected to open around mid-2019. He has already submitted his application for permanent residency there. For his venture in Panchkula, he is negotiating with the Haryana government for land; however, he is prepared to rent a private space if those negotiations fall through.
Sardar expressed his desire to launch an NGO for rural children, drawing from his own difficult experiences as a young player. He pointed out that a lack of equipment often kills the dreams of talented rural athletes, and his NGO will focus on identifying these gems and supporting them in both school and sports. He plans to release a formal statement regarding this after the World Cup.
Given his status as a premier modern player, Sardar has been urged to guide the Indian-Canadian hockey community. Since many Indians live in Canada and their children are active in numerous clubs, he sees a great opportunity to give back. He believes he can effectively divide his time and effort between the two countries.
He intends to follow the blueprint of former Australian stars Jamie Dwyer and Mark Knowles by recruiting expert coaches to lead the training programs at both of his academies.
Born in 1986 in Sant Nagar, Sirsa (Haryana), Sardar Singh first appeared on the international scene during the Indian junior team's tour of Poland in 2003-04. He made his senior debut in 2006 against Pakistan and represented the state of Haryana, while also serving as a Deputy Superintendent of Police in Haryana. In the early days of the Premier Hockey League (starting 2005), he played for the Chandigarh Dynamos before captaining the Hyderabad Sultans for three seasons. His talent took him to Europe, where he played in the Belgian league in 2010 and joined the Dutch club Bloemendaal after a standout performance in the 2013 Asia Cup. He served as the captain of the Indian national team until July 13, 2016, when the captaincy was handed over to PR Sreejesh.
With over 350 international appearances for India, Sardar's career is marked by significant achievements, including a bronze medal at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta. He was named 'Player of the Tournament' at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in both 2010 and 2012, with the latter year seeing India secure the gold medal.
Announcing his retirement last September, he remarked that while he still feels physically capable of playing for another couple of seasons, he believes everyone reaches a point where they must consider their next chapter. For him, that time has come to pursue new dreams.
Wishing him the best of luck in turning these dreams into reality and bringing further glory to India.