At the age of 10, Manpreet Singh began playing hockey regularly despite his mother’s initial attempts to stop him by locking him in a room. Determined, he managed to escape, and his coach convinced his family to let him play, recognizing Manpreet’s keen interest and potential in the sport.
In 2005, Manpreet began training at the esteemed Surjit Hockey Academy in Jalandhar. He was inspired by Pargat Singh, the former captain of the Indian hockey team from his village, Mithapur.
Pargat Singh not only served as Manpreet’s inspiration but also supported his family financially and helped Manpreet’s elder brother, Amandeep, emigrate to Germany.
In 2014, Manpreet helped the BPCL team win the “Scindia Gold Cup Hockey Tournament,” defeating Central Railways 3-1.
His stellar performance led to his inclusion in the senior Indian men’s hockey team, where he contributed to their gold medal victory at the “Asian Games 2014,” triumphing over Pakistan 4-2 in the final.
On May 18, 2017, he commenced his captaincy of the Indian men’s field hockey team, later guiding India to gold at the “2017 Men’s Hockey Asia Cup.”
In the same year, under his leadership, India also secured a bronze medal at the “Men’s FIH Hockey World League.”
Manpreet Singh married Illi Najwa Saddique, a Malaysian woman of Pakistani descent on December 16, 2020.
Their connection blossomed in 2013 during the “Sultan of Johor Cup,” where Manpreet was captivated by Saddique’s approach for a team photograph, sparking a love that led to their marriage.