For Mohith HS, 2026 has been a breakthrough year. The young hockey goalkeeper moved from India’s junior setup into the senior team, made his World Cup debut, and then was part of the Indian team that won the men’s hockey gold at the recently concluded Asian Games 2026 in Japan.

In an exclusive interview with The FederalMohith spoke about the significance of his first Asian Games, his transition from volleyball to hockey, the discipline and visualisation that go into goalkeeping, the role of video analysis and the guidance he has received from PR Sreejesh and head coach Craig Fulton. He also spoke about his dream of winning gold in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Edited excerpts

What does it feel like to play your first Asian Games and win a gold medal?

It feels very good to be standing on the podium and hearing the national anthem while representing our country. It feels awesome.

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How was your experience at the Asian Games, especially with reports of accommodation and other issues affecting athletes? Did the hockey team also face problems?

When we arrived, we were hearing news about the other athletes and the problems they were facing. We did not have that many problems. Whenever there was some issue, Hockey India came in and helped us.

You were part of the junior teams and have now moved into the senior ranks. You also played at the World Cup and then the Asian Games. How would you rank this year personally?

This year has been very good for me. Representing India at the World Cup was one of my dreams coming true, and being part of the Asian Games gold-medal-winning team was a great privilege.

This year has been awesome. There were a few ups and downs, but winning the Asian Games gold medal has made us very happy.

Also read: India’s 22-medal Asian Games drop: ‘A warning signal for Olympics 2028’

You started as a volleyball player. How did you make the transition from volleyball to hockey, and did you become a goalkeeper almost by accident?

From my childhood, I was very interested in sports. I was playing volleyball, and when I got into hockey, it was a very good transition because I enjoyed playing as a goalkeeper from the start.

At the time, I did not have anything like representing India in my mind. I was just enjoying myself.

But after seeing Indian team players representing the country on television, my dreams started to develop. Watching the Hockey India League at a young age also inspired me to be part of the national team. At the time, I set a goal for myself that I should represent India at the highest level.

How tough is it to be a goalkeeper, and what goes into your preparation before a match?

We have been training a lot. The preparation, I must say, comes down to discipline. It is a day-to-day process.

You have to be focused every day and keep doing the things that you are doing. I always visualise myself before going onto the field. I imagine that I am already saving a ball coming to my right or my left.

I also write down notes in my diary. Before going onto the field or before sleeping, I always recall them in my mind so that they remain there. It helps me perform well on the field.

You shared the goalkeeping duties with Suraj Karkera during the Asian Games. How is your relationship with him?

We have a very good relationship with each other. He is a very experienced player, while I am a junior player.

Whatever we train together, we talk about a lot of things. We were actually roommates during the Asian Games. We have a very good relationship with each other.

Video analysis has become an important part of modern hockey. How has it helped you, and how deeply do you study it?

Video analysis is very good. We see every clip of the opponent and categorise things into different tactical areas.

Before going into a match, every player is given video clips of the opponent players, along with their strong and weak points.

We go through those videos, which help us because things do not come as a surprise. We know a player’s strengths and weaknesses. We know where he goes when he has the ball, and that helps us greatly during the match.

You have also interacted with Indian hockey legend PR Sreejesh. How have his inputs helped your game?

It is always an honour to be with Sreejesh bhai and talk about goalkeeping. With all his experience, his advice always helps us perform well in tournaments and matches and correct the mistakes that we are making.

We have to do some hard work to get things right, but hearing advice from veteran players helps us correct our mistakes within one or two days. It is just that simple.

India has now qualified for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Is winning an Olympic medal, perhaps gold, your ultimate dream?

While playing at the Asian Games, we always had in mind that we had to qualify for LA first. Now that we have qualified for the Olympics, the coach has always been telling us to visualise ourselves winning the LA gold medal. He is already putting that idea into our minds.

Whenever we train, it is always about the gold medal. That makes us train a little harder so that we can achieve this.

The Asian Games gold is a major achievement. Are there people you would like to thank or dedicate the medal to, especially those who sacrificed a lot for you?

First, I would like to thank my family for supporting me. I would also like to thank my God, Lord Shiva. I have always believed in Him. I used to not believe in Gods, but later I started believing. I think after believing in Lord Shiva, some things have happened in my life.

I have always been happy and grateful to my father, mother, and sister, who have given me immense support without putting any pressure on me. They have supported me financially as well and have done everything for me.

I would also like to thank India’s coach, Craig Fulton. He has been like a mentor to me over the last couple of years and has helped me with my transition from being a junior goalkeeper to a senior goalkeeper.

I have taken a lot of advice from him, and it has always helped me in matches to prove my worth. So I thank these people for my achievements.