New Delhi:
Hockey is back in the mindset of a nation that gave the world this sport!
Humbled and humiliated became the principal themes of stories of Indian Hockey for quite some time since the 1980 Moscow Olympic when India last picked up Gold.
Between 1928 and 1980, there have been other stories -- eight Gold medals including two hat-tricks in the Olympics, one silver and two bronze.
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| Snap: From Captain Manpreet's Tweet |
As a case of reference, it must be noted Pakistan had finished sixth in the Atlanta Olympics, fifth in the 1998 World Cup and had won Bronze in 1992 Olympics.
But the Indian journey since 1980 has been marred by failures, bureaucratic reptapism of Indian Hockey Federation itself and frustration for players.
Even in this winning team, one star player almost gave it up and would have moved to the Netherlands to play ‘club hockey’. Skipper Manpreet Singh to brave through poverty as his father developed mental illness. No wonder, a grounded man that he is, after August 5 Bronze medal win, he dedicated the medal to Covid warriors.
Over the past few decades, it used to be said that one grim fact is that Indian hockey has been in the firm grip of police and Patiala.
The year 2007-08 was a real gloomy period. The IHF under a creditable cop KPS Gill was said to be ‘in jail’ and the team performance was shocking.
In 2007, India slumped to lowest ever 12th in the international ranking and also failed to qualify for Beijing Olympic.
An angry hockey great and a member of 1975 World Cup winning team, Aslam Sher Khan had said:
“Gill is behaving as a wild elephant that crushes everyone's head”.
In 80 years, for the first time, Indian Hockey team could not qualify for the Beijing Olympics.
The then Union Sports Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar had called it a “matter of shame”.
Eight-time champions India had lost 0-2 to Britain in the final of the second Olympic qualifier in Santiago, Chile.
The illustrious Gill sahab controlled India’s hockey for long before he was booted out in April 2008.
Hockey lovers still remember the gory episode when a TV sting operation showed IHF secretary-general K Jothikumaran accepting a bribe in a cash-for-selection scandal.
In fact, after India lost in a crucial encounter to Britain at Santiago, it was clear that Gill would be given the boot as IHF chief.
Indian Olympic Association intervened and the IHF itself was suspended.
Five hockey Olympians — chairman Aslam Sher Khan, Ashok Kumar, Ajit Pal Singh, Zafar Iqbal and Dhanraj Pillay — were asked “to ensure proper selection of the teams for international tournaments”.
In fact, when the India Olympic Association suspended the IHF, another Gill (former CEC –Congress MP, M S Gill) was the Sports Minister and he had backed the IOA move.
MS Gill also said: "I believe the IHF president (Gill) must also introspect. I urge him to consider withdrawing from his current responsibility. It is time to let other Indians make an attempt to lift our hockey."
In 2008, Indian Olympic Association had disbanded IHF and relieved Gill from his chair. This was actually the second time. In the 1970s, the fate of Indian hockey was handed over to Inder Mohan Mahajan.
Many players on record and off-the-record had believed that with the exit of ‘dictator Gill’, freedom had returned and this would kickstart the transformation in the right direction.
As the saying goes – in the defeat and dark hours, lay the silver lining.
The appointment of A K Bansal as the coach ensured good rapport between him and the players, and this marked the right and good beginning.
But things take time and more drastic steps and rightful encouragement.
Even in the Rio Olympics of 2016, Indian men's team reached only the quarter final.
So much has been a faulty approach to sports and cricket in India that in 2016, Dilip Tirkey, a former hockey start-turned-BijuJanata Dal member from Odisha, told Rajya Sabha that the selection of cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar for Bharat Ratna as the ‘first’ man from Sports category ahead of legendary Dhyan Chand was erroneous.
His use of the phrase ‘bhed-bhav’ during a debate was a telling story.
Of course the shift from traditional grass to synthetic turf left Indians as well as Pakistanis licking wounds as artistic skill works have been replaced.
But it is also a fact, if India won Gold in Moscow in Hockey in 1980, in 1983 Kapil Dev’s team lifted thePrudential World Cup. There was certainly a steady waning of interest in hockey.
The era of Sachin Tendulkars as cricket stars had set in 1990s and 'hockey' was almost forgotten.
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--Nirendra DevNew DelhiIndia creates history winning the Bronze medal after a thrilling 5-4 victory over Germany at the Tokyo Olympics on Thursday, August 5.
"It's historic, "Yeh Naya Bharat hae", tweets PM as Hockey team wins Bronze
New Delhi: The players - men in blue - ran into each other's arms. Some had tears in their eyes.It is an unbelievable moment.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi quickly called it "historic".
An Olympic medal came after the 1980 Gold in Moscow now after 41 years; and the Bronze coming after50 years.
"This historic victory will start a new era in hockey," wrote President Ram Nath Kovind on the micro blogging
site.
In 1972 at Munich Olympic, Indians had lost to Pakistan in the semi-finals. In the Third-place match India defeated the Netherlands to claim the Bronze medal.
In 1980, India beat Spain in the finals to win Gold.
"Brilliant in Blue. Congratulations Indian Men’s Hockey Team on the spectacular victory to give us an Olympic medal after 41 long years. This historic win at Tokyo2020 will inspire generations of sportspersons. All the very best for future," tweeted Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
In 2018, the Naveen Patnaik government had signed an agreement with Hockey India to sponsor both men's and women's national teams for five years.
Harendra Singh, coach of US Hockey team, and Dronacharya awardee, said, "We waited for so long.I knew this Indian team would deliver. I think the journey has just started".
Singh was India's coach earlier. He could not conceal his emotions.
The present coach Graham Reid, an Australian, was equally jubilant, and he said :"I know how much hockey means to India".
At the key contest against Germany for the third place and Bronze medal, India scored 5 goals against 4 by Germany.
Undoubtedly, there were tears and hugs on the field and outside in various parts of India as the team led by Manpreet Singh savoured the glorious moment.
"Historic! A day that will be etched in the memory of every Indian.
Congratulations to our Men’s Hockey Team for bringing home the Bronze. With this feat, they have captured the imagination of the entire nation, especially our youth. India is proud of our Hockey team,"the Prime Minister tweeted. Mr Modi took to the micro blogging site in Hindi too and said emphatically:"Yeh Naya Bharat hae; Atma Vishwas se bhara Bharat hae".
It's more satisfying for India as Germany had taken an early lead in the goal-rich match through a second-minute goal. But Indians fought back.
First, Simranjeet Singh equalised with a backhand shot. But Germany yet again marched aheadwith two more goals.Hardik Singh and Harmanpreet Singh now had two more equalisers in the exciting encounter.
India also took a 5-3 lead after golden sticks from Rupinder Pal Singh (in a penalty stroke) and Simranjeet Singh scored his second goal. Fighters Germany came back with a goal but was unable to force the equaliser, even after taking out its goalie to bring in an extra field player!
Overall, a memorable day for Indian Hockey in more ways than one.
"Congratulations to our men's hockey team for winning an Olympic Medal in hockey after 41 years. The team showed exceptional skills, resilience & determination to win. This historic victory will start a new era in hockey and will inspire the youth to take up and excel in the sport,"
tweeted President of India, Ram Nath Kovind.
Twitteratis and netizens on Facebook could not conceal the emotions.
Punjab Sports Minister Rana Gurmit S Sodhi announced Rs 1 crore cash award for all playersfrom the state."We await your return to celebrate the much deserving medal," he tweeted.
Match details:
- Germany took an early lead in the goal-rich match through a second-minute goal by Timur Oruz.
- Simranjeet Singh equalised with a backhand shot.
Germany kept fighting and took a 3-1 lead in the second quarter.
But India pulled level through goals by Hardik Singh and Harmanpreet Singh.
India then took a 5-3 lead after Rupinder Pal Singh notched in a penalty stroke and Simranjeet Singh scored his second goal.
Germany came back with a goal but was unable to force the equaliser !!
PM slams Oppn for stalling Parliament, says country will not remain 'hostage'
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday lashed out at opposition parties for pursuing their disruption of Parliament politics and asserted that the country cannot be held 'hostage' to such selfishness and politics.
"Yeh log kaise desh heet ke kam roka jae is ki spardha mein lagey haen
(These people are leaving no stone un-turned to stall country's progress and development)," Prime Minister said while interacting with beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana in Uttar Pradesh, via video conferencing.
"This great country and the great people will never be hostage to such politics of selfishness...," he said.
"No amount of efforts they make to stall India's development journey, this country will not stop. They are trying to stall parliament but 130 crore Indians are determined not to allow success to their designs," he said.
In last few weeks, the Prime Minister said while the country was determined and some people were busy achieving "new milestones" in ongoing Tokyo Olympics but there were others in Delhi were "busy sabotaging and stalling parliament"
The Prime Minister's strong remarks came as both the Houses of Parliament continue to be marred by sloganeering and repeated disruption since July 19 when the monsoon session had begun.
Before the start of the session, the government had proposed to pass at least 23 draft laws and some of them crucial ones related to economic reforms.
But after a planned 'sabotage and pandemonium' was orchestrated out
as the so called Pegasus spying row was kicked off hours before the session was to commence on July 19.
In two weeks of the session, a total 89 hours of working time of both the Houses have been wasted resulting in draining out of Rs 133 crore of exchequer money.
Sources say till July end, Lok Sabha could transact business of seven hours only out of possible 54 hours, and Rajya Sabha has been allowed to function only for 11 hours out of nearly 53 hours.
In Lok Sabha, it was only 14 percentage productivity and for the House of Elders, the productivity was hardly 22 per cent.
In Rajya Sabha, six Trinamool Congress members were suspended for a day on Wednesday while another member Shantanu Sen was suspended last week for the entire session.
Several efforts to reach out to the opposition parties have also not yielded any positive outcome.
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Nirendra Dev
New Delhi
Cricket and it's glamour sidelined the passion for hockey among Indians.
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