Dilip Kumar Tirkey was born on 24th November 1977 in Savnamara near Sundargarh, Orissa.
He made his international debut for the Indian national team in 1995 in the Indira Gandhi Gold Cup. He has played in three Olympics and is considered as not only the best penalty corner hitters but also a difficult defender to beat in the world. He plays in the Left Full Back position on the field.
His hard work & consistent performance at international level matches helped him to become the captain of the Indian Hockey team at a very young age.
Other than national team he also plays for Railways, Orissa Steelers, Indian Airlines and HC Klein Zwitserland.
Tirkey has won several honors and awards. The major awards includes: Ekalavya Puraskar, ONGC-Hockey Year Book Award, Arjuna Award, Padma Shri.
