As the nation gets ready to host the FIH World Cup hockey from January 13 to 29, 2023 at Bhubaneswar and Rourkela, for the second edition in succession, promotional events are well and truly on.
After Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana, it was the turn of Delhi to unveil the Cup.
In a symbolic gesture, Sports Minister Anurag Thakur unveiled the Cup and handed it over to the 1975 World Cup-winning captain Ajit Pal Singh at the Dhyan Chand National Stadium in Delhi on Friday.
Team members Ashok Kumar, Ashok Dewan, Vineet Kumar, H. J. S. Chimni, three-time Olympic medallist Harbinder Singh, 1980 Olympic gold winner Zafar Iqbal, and other illustrious players like Mohinder Pal Singh were among those honoured on the occasion.
In his brief speech, the Sports Minister recalled the medal-winning performance of the hockey team in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the fourth-place finish for the women’s team that gallantly defeated Australia on its way to the semifinals.
“Hockey is not just a sport in this nation, it is an emotion. It unites the country. I am sure the team is working hard to bring the Cup back. Not just the men’s team but our women have also made us feel proud. We are ready to take on the world,” said Thakur.
Ajit Pal Singh recalled how the single-minded approach and the never-say-die spirit of the 1975 team resulted in India bouncing back from difficult situations and winning the Cup. “We all were one. The entire team was determined to win at all costs.”
Ashok Kumar, son of the legendary Dhyan Chand and scorer of the title-winning goal in India’s 2-1 victory over Pakistan, shared anecdotes from India’s campaign.
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