Union Sports Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday felicitated the Indian men’s and women’s hockey teams at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) headquarters in New Delhi for their impressive performances at the Under-18 Hockey Asia Cup in Japan.
The Indian men’s team, captained by Ketan Kushwaha, clinched the U-18 Asia Cup title after defeating hosts Japan 4-1 in the final at Kakamigahara on Friday. In recognition of their achievement, the Sports Minister presented the team with a cheque of Rs 61.5 lakh.
The Indian women’s team, led by Sweety Kujur, secured the bronze medal after a commanding 3-0 victory over Korea in the third-place playoff. The team received a cheque of Rs 21 lakh from the minister as encouragement.
Congratulating the players, Dr Mandaviya praised their dedication and urged them to continue striving for excellence.
“I would like to congratulate both teams for the hard work they have put in to bring laurels to the country. The entire nation is proud of you. This is just the beginning. There is no alternative to hard work,” he said.
The minister also highlighted the government’s commitment to developing India into a global sporting powerhouse, in line with the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
During the ceremony, Dr Mandaviya honoured the tournament’s standout performers, including top scorers Ashish Tani Purti and Nousheen Naz, as well as goalkeeper Ayush Rajak, who made 10 saves during the competition.
Former India captains Rani Rampal and Sardara Singh, who served as coaches of the women’s and men’s U-18 teams respectively, were also felicitated for guiding the teams to success.
(IANS)
