Celebrations broke out at the Sports Authority of India’s (SAI) National Centre of Excellence in Dharamshala after the Indian women’s kabaddi team clinched the gold medal at the Asian Games, with professional players and trainees at the centre watching the final together and later distributing sweets.
The victory was particularly special for the SAI Dharamshala centre as three members of the gold-winning Indian squad — captain Pushpa Rana, Jyoti Thakur and Bhawna Thakur — are associated with the centre.
Another member of the Indian team, Ritu Negi, hails from Himachal Pradesh’s Sirmaur district and is currently serving with the Indian Railways.
Players at the SAI hostel gathered to watch the final and celebrated the gold medal immediately after India’s victory. They congratulated each other and distributed sweets, describing the achievement as a proud and inspiring moment.
Kiran Thakur, a professional kabaddi player who has been training at SAI Dharamshala for around a decade, said the victory was especially significant as three players from the hostel were part of the Indian team.
“Three girls from our hostel played in the Asian Games and made a major contribution towards India winning the gold medal. The captain is also from this hostel, which makes this moment even more special for us,” she said.
{{/usCountry}}“Three girls from our hostel played in the Asian Games and made a major contribution towards India winning the gold medal. The captain is also from this hostel, which makes this moment even more special for us,” she said.
{{/usCountry}}She said the members of the Indian team had undergone months of preparation in camps and worked hard to overcome challenges, including injuries, before bringing home the gold.