Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has welcomed the trophy of FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2021 on reaching in Punjab.
Mann, who received the trophy at his residence here, vowed to make all-out efforts for restoring the glory of hockey in the state.
The Chief Minister said Punjabis have always excelled in the field of hockey and have brought several laurels for the state.
He said that it was a matter of honour and pride that in the Indian hockey squad that won a medal in the Olympics after 41 years during the sports event in Tokyo, 11 players, including captain Manpreet Singh, belonged to the state.
Mann said likewise the Indian contingent that won the lone world cup for the country in 1975 was also led by Punjab’s son, Ajitpal Singh.
The Chief Minister said he was overwhelmed to receive the trophy. He said it was a matter of great pride that more than half of the team members of India, which will be vying in the coming World Cup hockey, are also from Punjab.
He said this momentum needs to be maintained so that more medals were bagged in the coming times.
Mann said concerted efforts would be made by his government to eradicate the curse of drugs by promoting sports, especially hockey.
As a part of its countrywide tour, the trophy of Men’s Hockey World Cup, which is scheduled to commence in Odisha from January 13, 2023, arrived in Amritsar (Punjab) on Wednesday.