Dilip Tirkey is a distinguished Indian hockey player in India. He is known for his position as full back and his remarkable penalty corner hits. He was employed as an assistant manager at Indian Airlines. On March 22, 2012, he was elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha as one of the three Biju Janata Dal (BJD) candidates to the Upper House of Indian Parliament. He won the Arjun Award in 2002 and Padma Shree in the year 2004.

Career of Dilip Tirkey
Dilip Kumar Tirkey was born on 24th November in the year 1977 in Savnamara near Sundargarh district in the Indian state of Orissa. His parents are Vincent Tirkey and Resina Tirkey. This defender in field hockey hails from the Oraon tribe of Chota Nagpur Plateau. He made his international debut for the Indian national hockey team against England in the Indira Gandhi Gold Cup. In three Olympics he has participated his penalty corner hitting is considered as one of the best in the world.

In the 3rd Premier Hockey League event, he was declared as the best player. His rise from humble Adivasi origins to go on and captain the Indian national hockey team is an inspirational story in every right. Coincidentally the fact remains that first Indian captain to the Olympics held in the year1928 at Amsterdam was an Adivasi - Jaipal Singh Munda.

Tirkey is the only Adivasi to represent India in three Olympic Games, starting in 1996. He has a total of 412 international caps and has scored over 60 goals in his international career. On May 2nd 2010 he announced his retirement from the international hockey circuit.

Dillip Tirkey`s father Vincent Tirkey has played for Orissa. His brother Anoop Tirkey also plays for Railways. In the year 2006, Dilip Tirkey married Mira Tirkey.

Orissa Steelers which won the 3rd Premier Hockey League title of India, won it under Tirkey`s captaincy. The Orissa Steelers did a dream run under the captaincy of Tirkey. He currently plays for Indian Airlines in the position of right back.

His unique sweep shot, aggressive defence and a dangerous penalty convert, rated Dilip Tirkey as one of the most skilled international hockey players of all time.

Awards and Honours received by Dilip Tirkey
Included in the Junior World XI in 1997
Included in the Asian XI in 2002
Selected for World All-Star team in 2006
Selected for World All-Star team in 2007
Received the 2nd Ricoh Hockey Star of the Year Award in Bhubaneswar on July 6, 2010
Received the honorary Doctorate from Sambalpur University on July 15, 2010
Received the Odisha Living Legend Award from Orissadiary.com on Nov 11, 2011

Achievements of Dilip Tirkey
First-ever tribal to get Padma Shree Award
India`s highest capped (412 matches) hockey international and third highest in the world
Only Adivasi to represent India in 3 Olympic Games
1995: 7th SAF Games at Chennai (Champions)
1996: Olympic Games at Atlanta, USA (8th place)
1997: Under-21 Test Series against Germany (Winners)
1997: Under-21 Challengers Cup Tournament at Poznan, Poland (Winners)
1997: Junior World Cup at Milton Keynes, England (Runners-up)
1998: Asian Games at Bangkok (Gold medal)
1999: Asia Cup at Kuala Lumpur (Bronze medal)
2000: Olympic Games at Sydney (7th
2000: 10th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup Tournament at Kuala Lumpur (Bronze medal)
2002: Champions Trophy at Cologne, Germany (4th place), as Captain
2002: Asian Games at Busan, South Korea (Silver medal ), as Captain
2003: Asia Cup at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (Champions)
2003: Afro-Asian Games at Hyderabad (Gold medal), as Captain
2004: Olympic Games at Athens, Greece (7th place), as Captain
2011: Odisha Living Legend Award