Sumrai, Jyoti recommended for Arjuna award

Two star players of Indian women's hockey team, Sumrai Tete and Jyoti Sunita Kullu, have been nominated for Arjuna award this year.

Two star players of Indian women's hockey team, Sumrai Tete and Jyoti Sunita Kullu, have been nominated for Arjuna award this year.

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Sumrai led India to the Commonwealth silver medal in Melbourne while Jyoti captained the Indian team in the Asian Games bronze medal winning feat in Doha last year. In the past, both the veterans have been instrumental in helping the Indian team earn many laurels at the international level.

"We have nominated Sumrai and Jyoti -- the two senior most players. Both have done well. Last year also we had sent nominations which did not bear any fruit. Let's see this time," Indian Women's Hockey Federation secretary Amrit Bose told PTI on Tuesday.

Last year, both Sumrai and Jyoti's names were ignored by the Sports Ministry for the award.

This had not gone down well with the IWHF officials and coach of the Indian women's hockey team. Olympian MK Kaushik had questioned the manner in which other sportspersons were chosen based on their performance at the national level.

Kaushik had said that while swimmers and wrestlers with only national-level achievements were being chosen for the award, claims favouring women's hockey players were being ignored.