Background
Birendra Lakra was born on 3 February 1990 in the Sundargarh district of Odisha. He was born to the Oraon tribe family of Odisha.
Birendra Lakra was born on 3 February 1990 in the Sundargarh district of Odisha. He was born to the Oraon tribe family of Odisha.
He represented India in Men"s Hockey during the 2012 London Olympics. Lakra"s elder brother Bimal has played as a midfielder for India. Birendra Lakra is a player of the Rourkela Steel Plant’s SAIL Hockey Academy.
Included in the Indian junior team for the first time for Singapore tour in 2007.
He represented India in the Test series against South Africa in 2012, the Champions Challenge tournament in South Africa in 2011, the SAAF Games at Dhaka in 2010, at the Youth Olympics at Sydney in 2009, at the Junior World Cup at Singapore in 2009. He scored the first goal in India"s stupendous victory in the final game of the Olympic Hockey Qualifying Tournament against France.
He played a key role in taking India in to the semifinals of 2012 Champions trophy. India defeated Belgium with the help of a single goal that was produced by the magical pass given by Birendra Lakra to the forward.
With this India entered the semifinals of champions trophy after eight long years.
Hockey India League
In the auction of the inaugural Hockey India League season, Lakra was bought by the Ranchi franchise for United States dollar 41,000 with his base price being United States dollar 9,250. The Ranchi team was named Ranchi Rhinos. The team finished in the inaugural season and third in the 2014 season.
Following disputes between the franchise and Hockey India, the team decided to pull out, after which Lakra signed with the Ranchi Rays franchise from the 2015 season.