Bengaluru: Over the weekend, three-time Olympian and former India hockey captain MM Somaya had little time to dwell on his personal loss. At the YES for Hockey inter-school tournament for Rajyotsava Cup here, he was busy helping organise the event, interacting with young players and catching up with hockey stalwarts Dhanraj Pillay, Anil Aldrin, Sabu Varkey and Sandeep Somesh.There was little sign of distress on the 67-year-old’s face, even though his house was burgled on Oct 28 and four medals were among the valuables stolen. This included the gold he won at the 1980 Moscow Olympics, India’s last Olympic gold in hockey.Much like the deft moves that defined his game, the Arjuna Awardee has learnt to keep his emotions under control. But the loss has been difficult to process.“It took me a couple of hours to come to terms with what had happened. Then I told myself it was important to remove the emotional quotient from the situation and think professionally. After we registered an FIR, over the past week, I also emailed government authorities,” Somaya told TOI.The empty velvet boxes that once held his prized possessions are now a painful reminder of what is missing.“The moment my wife told me burglars had broken into our house, I had a very strong feeling that the medals would be gone because they were among the few things that were locked up. They were inside a secured drawer in a cupboard, and both were broken,” Somaya revealed.The burglary took place around 2.30am. A neighbour noticed the main door ajar around 7.30am and alerted the Somayas, who were in Madikeri at the time.Somaya moved back from Mumbai to Bengaluru in 2025 after retiring from Bharat Petroleum. He now divides his time between his homes in the city and Madikeri.Ironically, for more than a year after his move to Bengaluru, the medals had remained in Mumbai.“They were always in a locker. I brought them back only two months ago because we no longer lived in Mumbai. I wanted to put them away in bank lockers here too,” he rued.For Somaya, the loss goes well beyond the medals’ sentimental value. They represent a defining moment in Indian sporting history.“Obviously, the medal is not only an honour to me but a recognition to the nation. So it did affect me emotionally. I’ve been trying to keep myself occupied, so I don’t overthink it,” he said. “Hope the police make headway,” he added.
