Hero’s welcome for bronze medallists
Mukesh Tandon
Tribune News Service
Sonepat, August 13
Indian hockey team players Sumit Kumar and Abhishek Nain, who won bronze medals in Paris Olympics, received a rousing welcome on Tuesday upon their arrival here.
The team clinched a bronze medal for the second time in the Olympics. Earlier, the team won bronze in the Tokyo Olympics.
Sumit, along with his primary coach Naresh Antil, was in a car decorated with flowers. Family members, villagers, friends and budding players welcomed Sumit with garlands and by bursting crackers, showering flower petals and raising slogans. Villagers and relatives danced to dhol beats and tunes of other musical instruments.
Antil said a special welcome was accorded to Sumit. Residents of Kurad village with a cavalcade of around 30 vehicles, along with an AC bus in which especially the elderly people, reached the airport in Delhi to receive their hockey star.
Youth with Tricolour on their motorcycles piloted the cavalcade. The victory procession started from Bahalgarh Chowk on NH-44 and ended in his village.
An emotional Sumit said “the medal is the result of the blessings of the country people”. He dedicated his bronze to his mother, who, he said, was always in his mind during the tournament.
A grand welcome programme was also organised in the village’s main choupal where political leaders, SAI coaches, national and international hockey players, among others were present.
Abhishek, another member of the hockey team, also received a rousing welcome on his arrival at Mayur Vihar Colony. Scores of people gathered at Maharana Pratap Chowk at Sonipat-Delhi road and welcomed him. An open procession of his victory was organised in the city.
Overwhelmed with the grand welcome, Abhishek said dedicated his medal to the country, family, and younger hockey players of India. He praised the sports policies of the state government. Abhishek said he missed the choorma made by his mother during the Olympics. He also said he would also take choorma for PM Narendra Modi.
