Viren Rasquinha is an Indian former field hockey player and captain of the Indian national team. He was born on 13 September 1980. He studied at St. Stanislaus High School in Bandra, Mumbai, then graduated with a B.Com from MMK College in Bandra.
Viren Rasquinha was one of India’s finest hockey players of all time. He played 180 international matches for the Indian hockey team in a career spanning from 2002 to 2008. He was an immensely gifted midfielder and an excellent team player known for his fearless tackling skills, tireless running and calm temperament. He was also the captain of the Maratha Warriors in the Premier Hockey League from 2005-2008 and played for Stuttgart Kickers in the German Bundesliga in the 2007-08 season. He was bestowed with the prestigious Arjuna Award for Hockey for the year 2005.
Viren Rasquinha made his junior international debut in 1999, and was part of the team that won the 2001 Junior World Cup in Hobart, Australia.
He made his senior international debut as a midfielder in May 2002, at a Four Nation Tournament in Adelaide. He won a silver medal at the 2002 Asian Games in Busan, gold medals at the Asia Cup in Kuala Lumpur and the Afro-Asian Games in Hyderabad in 2003. He was part of the Olympic team which finished seventh in Athens in the 2004 Olympic Games.
He led the Indian Hockey team for the first time in the bilateral series against Pakistan in 2004. He was also captain of the Premier Hockey League team Maratha Warriors, and played for Tata Sports, Air India, and the Indian Oil Corporation, as well as 180 international matches. Rasquinha announced his retirement from hockey on 15 January 2008 at the age of 28, to pursue his studies.
After retiring from hockey, He studied for a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) at the Indian School of Business in Hyderabad. After completion of his MBA, he joined Olympic Gold Quest in 2009, and is now the CEO.
Viren Rasquinha is an informative and inspiring motivational speaker. He talks about India’s quest for Olympic gold medals, and what is needed to help talented sportspeople become world class.
Major International tournaments played by Viren Rasquinha:
• Athens Olympics 2004
• World Cup, Monchengladbach 2006
• Asia Cup, Kuala Lumpur 2003 (Gold Medal)
• Afro Asian Games, Hyderabad 2003 (Gold Medal)
• Asian Games, Busan 2002 (Silver Medal)
• Junior World Cup, Hobart 2001 (Gold Medal)
