Hockey India on Wednesday decided to retire the iconic jersey number ’16’ of goalkeeping stalwart P R Sreejesh at the senior level after he announced his retirement following his starring role in the country’s second consecutive Olympic bronze medal campaign at the just-concluded Paris Games.

Hockey India secretary general Bhola Nath Singh said going forward no senior team player will be given the number 16 jersey although it will remain in circulation at the junior level. The governing body of the sport on Wednesday organised a farewell ceremony to honour Sreejesh in the national capital, where Singh announced that the 36-year-old will take up the role of the junior national coach.

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“Sreejesh is now going to be the junior team coach and we are retiring the No. 16 jersey for the senior team. We are not retiring No. 16 for the junior team,” said Singh.

“Sreejesh dusra Sreejesh ko paida karega in junior team (Sreejesh will groom someone like him in the junior team who will wear the No.16 jersey),” he added.

Several former and current players of the Indian men’s hockey team and Sreejesh’s family members were present at the event. As a mark of respect, the players donned identical red jerseys with Sreejesh’s name and number on the back.

Overwhelmed by the occasion, an emotional PR Sreejesh reflected on his time with the Indian hockey team, “Eighteen years is a long journey. I have experienced all the highs and lows but it has shaped me into the person I am today. I’ve enjoyed every minute of my time as an international player.”

The ceremony was also attended by Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey and Indian women’s hockey team coach Harendra Singh.

Meanwhile, Sreejesh said that he will continue to contribute to the sport in different ways after retiring as a player.

“While life will certainly be different without playing, I am not stepping away from the sport. I have plans for the future and am excited for this new chapter in my life,” said the veteran from Kerala.

Sreejesh began playing hockey when he was 12. He made his debut with the junior team in 2004 at 16 and made his senior debut in 2006, at 18. Sreejesh is a veteran of four Olympic Games – playing all editions since London 2012 and even led the side at Rio 2016.

Along with bronze medals at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, Sreejesh has won two Asian Games gold medals (2014, 2023), one Asian Games bronze medal (2018) and two Commonwealth Games silver medals (2014, 2022).

Additionally, Sreejesh played a key role in India winning the Asian Champions Trophy four times (2011, 2016, 2018, 2023).

Sreejesh was bestowed the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award in 2021 and is only the second sportsperson from India to win the award of World Games Athlete of the Year in 2021. He has also won back-to-back FIH Goalkeeper of the Year awards in 2021 and 2022.