In the high-intensity world of the Hockey India League (HIL), where matches are decided in moments and recovery windows are short, much of a team’s success is built away from the spotlight. For Vedanta Kalinga Lancers, that responsibility sits with team physiotherapist Dr. Bodhisattva Dass, known to his teammates as Dr. Bodhi, whose work quietly underpins their consistency.
Coming from a medical family, Dr. Bodhi’s entry into sport was shaped early on. “My father is from a medical background. He’s a surgeon, and he wanted me to be in the medical profession as well. He suggested physiotherapy, and once I got into it, I realised how exciting it could be. Today, I am very happy to serve as a physiotherapist to athletes. It feels like a dream, a dream you see with open eyes.”
Like most careers in high-performance sport, the early years were about constant learning. “The starting phase is never simple. Every day you learn something. Every player teaches you something new, things you don’t find in books. In the HIL, you work with players from different countries. There are new ideas and new approaches, and from the admin to the players, it felt like one family.”
That sense of trust has become central to his role, especially on match days. “In my first tournament, I used to get nervous and anxious for the players, but now my role is to prepare them, activate them, and be there for them. A player always wants to know that someone is there for them, and if they feel that support and bonding, they have already won at the ground level.”
The 2026 season brought a different kind of challenge, with a packed schedule and little time between matches, making workload management critical. “It’s a short tournament with very little recovery time. From day one, I ask every player about injuries and history. You cannot push too much too soon, it has to be progressive and sustainable, and we also track how players are feeling overall, not just injuries. The coaches were very open, and if we felt the load was high, we adjusted. There was always alignment.”
One noticeable shift, according to him, has been the mindset of Indian players. “All the Indian players are very serious about fitness now. Every day, you see them in the gym, stretching, and doing recovery work. No one has to tell them, they take responsibility themselves.”
At the core of the Lancers squad is a strong group of players from Odisha, whose approach stood out through the season. “They have more hunger and more eagerness. They want to do something for hockey first, then for the team. They were never satisfied and would always say, ‘I want to do more, tell me what to do.’ That passion is special.”
For Dr. Bodhi, the experience of being part of the Kalinga Lancers setup has been as rewarding as the outcome itself. “All the senior players supported me and welcomed my ideas. It was an amazing experience, and to be part of a champion team means a lot.”
