New Delhi, Aug 5: Emotions ran high and tears of joy rolled down the eyes of yesteryear stars of Indian hockey, who on Thursday described the men’s team’s historic bronze medal winning feat at the Olympics as “new dawn” for the game in the country.
India on Thursday scripted history by winning an Olympic medal, a bronze, which is worth its weight in gold for the sheer emotion and nostalgia attached with hockey in the country.
India’s 12th hockey medals in the Olympics came after over four decades. The last time India stood on the podium was at the 1980 Moscow Games where they won gold. The country has eight gold medals in all the Olympic Games.
“I am extremely happy for Indian hockey as a whole because at one time people said that hockey is in ICU, hockey is dead. But now we have witnessed Indian hockey’s resurgence,” India’s only World Cup-winning skipper Ajitpal Singh said.
He endured the pain of returning empty handed from the Olympics four times during his playing days but the legendary Dhanraj Pillay says now he has no regrets after watching the Indian hockey team claim a bronze at the Tokyo Games.
“I always had the regret that I could not win an Olympic medal. I used to wonder whether I would be able to see India at the Olympic podium again in hockey. Now with this historic win, I have no regrets,” the former captain said
Another former India captain Viren Rasquinha hailed the fighting spirit of the Indians as they fought back from a 1-3 deficit to register the win. “To win by coming back from 1-3 down is an incredible feat. This medal means so much for Indian hockey and millions of hockey fans,” he said.
Hailing the Indian men’s hockey team’s bronze medal win in the Tokyo Olympics as historic, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday that after four decades, pride of our national identity hockey has been established.
Hockey legend Balbir Singh Sr lived his life for the sport and would have jumped in joy had he been alive to witness the national team’s historic bronze-medal winning feat at Tokyo Olympics, his daughter Sushbir Kaur said on Thursday.
The prime minister also spoke to the men’s hockey team captain Manpreet Singh, head coach Graham Reid and assistant coach Piyush Dubey, after the win and congratulated the team. Modi told Manpreet that “you have scripted history”.
President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday too congratulated the Indian men’s hockey team for winning an Olympic medal, and said this historic victory will start a new era in hockey.
Former prime minister Manmohan Singh also joined in to congratulate the team for winning the Olympic medal, and hoped it will inspire the youth of the country.
The Indian men’s hockey team’s Australian coach Graham Reid on Thursday said he feels “privileged” to be a part of the game’s revival in India after the side clinched its first Olympic medal in 41 years, crediting togetherness and a team first mentality for the triumph.
Meghalaya Guv lauds team
Meghalaya Governor, Satya Pal Malik extended his heartiest congratulations and greetings to the Indian Men’s Hockey team for the wonderful feat of securing a bronze medal after a gap of 41 years in the Olympics.
He lauded the efforts of all the players who kept their nerves and played like true sportsmen in the field with a scintillating display of hockey.
He said that this admirable feat in Tokyo will inspire a new generation of players in the field of hockey.
