SGPC to award Rs 5 lakh to participants from Punjab, Rs 1 crore to team.
CHANDIGARH – Punjab Sports Minister Rana Gurmeet Sodhi announced a cash award of Rs 1 crore each for the players from the state in the Indian men’s hockey team.
India won the bronze medal after a thrilling 5-4 victory over Germany at the Tokyo Games on Thursday, giving the country its first Olympic hockey medal in more than forty years.
Germany took an early lead in the goal-rich match through a second-minute goal by Timur Oruz, and posed a threat to eight-time Olympic hockey champions India in the first quarter.
After Simranjeet Singh equalised with a backhand shot for India, Germany kept their cool, scoring two goals to take a 3-1 lead in the second quarter.
But India pulled level late in that quarter thanks to goals by Hardik Singh and Harmanpreet Singh, making it 3-3 at the halftime break.
India then took a 5-3 lead after Rupinder Pal Singh notched in a penalty stroke and Simranjeet Singh scored his second of the match not long into the second half.
Germany came back a goal but was unable to force the equaliser, even after taking out its goalie to bring in an extra field player late in the game.
India’s bronze was its first Olympic hockey medal since winning gold at the 1980 Moscow Games.
SGPC announces Rs 1 crores award for team, Rs 5 lakh to participants from Punjab
Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) President Bibi Jagir Kaur has announced to award Rs 1 crore to the Indian hockey team. She said the SGPC will also award Rs 5 lakh each to all players of Punjab who are participating in Olympic.
She said the team will soon pay obeisance at Harmandir Sahib when they will be presented the award.
