Bihar government honours Indian women’s hockey team on Asian Champions Trophy triumph

Rajgir (Bihar): Celebrating the title triumph of the Indian women’s hockey team in the Asian Champions Trophy 2024, the Bihar government has announced a significant cash award for the players and support staff. Each player in the squad will receive Rs 10 lakh in recognition of their outstanding performance at the Rajgir Hockey Stadium during the course of the tournament. In addition to this, chief coach Harendra Singh was rewarded with Rs 10 lakhs while the rest of the support staff received Rs 5 lakh each, Hockey India informed in a release on Wednesday. India secured the Women’s Asian Champions Trophy 2024 title with a hard-fought 1-0 victory against China in the final here on Wednesday. Deepika’s decisive back-handed strike in the third quarter proved to be the difference, as the hosts defended their lead resolutely to claim their second consecutive title. Overall, this is the third time that India won the Women’s Asian Champions Trophy, joining South Korea as the most successful team in the competition. After their maiden triumph in 2016 in Singapore, the Indian women’s team won their second title in Ranchi in 2023 and have now followed it up with victory in Rajgir on Wednesday. India have claimed silver medals twice in 2013 and 2018 and bronze in 2010. Soon after the victory, Hockey India declared a reward of ₹3 lakh each for the members of the Indian team and ₹1.5 lakh each for all support staff following the Indian women’s hockey team’s triumphant victory, Hockey India announced on the occasion. –IANS