E-Paper
Hockey players get rousing welcome at Amritsar airport
Punjab players of the national hockey squad that won a bronze medal in the Paris Olympics after defeating Spain 2-1 got hero’s welcome as they landed at Sri Guru Ramdas Jee International Airport here on Sunday morning.
(Blurb) Roadshow from Jalandhar’s BSF chowk to Model Town and Mithapur village in players’ honour
Punjab players of the national hockey squad that won a bronze medal in the Paris Olympics after defeating Spain 2-1 got hero’s welcome as they landed at Sri Guru Ramdas Jee International Airport here on Sunday morning.
Cabinet ministers Harbhajan Singh ETO and Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal along with Hockey Punjab officials besides family members and fans accorded a warm welcome to team captain Harmanpreet Singh, vice-captain Hardik Singh Rai, Manpreet Singh, Gurjant Singh, Shamsher Singh, Mandeep Singh, Jarmanpreet Singh, Sukhjit Singh and Jugraj Singh.
Amritsar MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla and former Indian hockey captain Pargat Singh (Congress MLA) were also present. “We are very happy that our players have removed the blot of drug addiction by showing a remarkable performance in the game,” said Harbhajan Singh ETO.
The Jalandhar district administration had arranged special dholis at the airport to welcome the members of Indian team which won back-to-back medals in Olympics after the gap of 50 years.
The players also went to the Golden Temple where Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee’s president Harjinder Singh Dhami, other office-bearers and officials welcomed them. The SGPC felicitated them with a replica of Golden Temple, siropa (robe of honour) and set of books on Sikh faith.
After paying obeisance, Harmanpreet said, “We secured the victory in the Olympics with the grace of Guru.”
In his Timmowal village near Jandiala Guru, the team captain was given a warm welcome by villagers amid dhol beats.
Four of the players — Manpreet, Mandeep, Hardik and Sukhjeet — were from Jalandhar who once again got a rousing welcome after reaching the district amidst heavy showers. Hockey lovers had arranged a special roadshow from BSF chowk to Model Town and Mithapur village, known as hockey nursery. Families also accompanied the players in the procession.
Manpreet said it is great moment for all the players and their families to get such a welcome. “Our goal was to win gold for which we put in our best but lost to Germany by a whisker in the semifinals. We will work hard to fulfil our dream of winning the gold medal in the next edition of the games,” he added.
The state, which is considered a nursery of the game, had a maximum of eight players in the 16-member squad. Additionally, Punjab had two players in the reserved list, taking the state’s tally to 10.
