Four hockey players with roots in Amritsar are part of the Indian men’s team playing at the 20th Asian Games in Japan.The quartet comprises Harmanpreet Singh, Dilpreet Singh, Jarmanpreet Singh and Jugraj Singh. Harmanpreet continues to lead the Indian team.India is playing into the tournament as defending champions, having claimed gold at the Asian Games in Hangzhou in 2023. At that time, Harmanpreet was leading the team.Harmanpreet SinghHarmanpreet hails from Timmowal village, about 12 km from Amritsar on the Amritsar-Jalandhar GT Road. His father, Sarbjit Singh, is hoping the Indian team retains its Asian Games title.He said Harmanpreet has earned name as ace-drag flicker and defender, and everybody in the village lauded his control over the hockey stick.Sarbjit recalled that Harmanpreet was inspired to take up hockey by his maternal uncle, Hardev Singh Chahal, who had played at the national level. His dedication and hard work eventually took him tot he highest level of the sport.Dilpreet SinghForward Dilpreet Singh hails from Butala village, near the historic Baba Bakala Sahib shrine, about 50 km from Amritsar.His family and fellow villagers are hoping that his attacking skills will once again help India in the tournament. Dilpreet along with Shilanand Lakra, Sukhjeet Singh, Mandeep Singh and Abhishek have been drafted to lead the attacking line in Asian Games.A product of the Baba Pallaha Sports Club (BPSC) in his village, Dilpreet has been practicing hockey there since childhood. He has often credited the club and his family for helping shape his career. He also represented India in the under 21 category at the Commonwealth Games in Australia held early this year.In an earlier interaction with The Tribune, Dilpreet said his father, a hockey coach, had introduced him to the sport and supported him throughout his journey.”He used to take me early in the morning even to far-off hockey academies for practice,” Dilpreet had recalled, adding that his father came to his mind while watching the film “Dangal” because of the sacrifices he had made for his career.Jarmanpreet SinghJarmanpreet Singh, who hails from the Baba Bakala Sahib area, began his hockey journey at the Khalsa Hockey Academy at Mehta village before moving to Surjit Hockey Academy in Jalandhar.He made his Olympic debut at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where India won the bronze medal. He has represented the Railway Sports Promotion Board and subsequently joined the Income Tax Department for domestic tournaments.Jugraj SinghDefender and drag flicker Jugraj Singh hails from Attari village in Amritsar district.He achieved the milestone of 100 international caps during India’s FIH Pro League match against Germany in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, in June this year.Jugraj made his senior international debut in 2022 during the FIH Pro League matches in South Africa and quickly established himself as an integral part of the Indian backline.