Punjab: 3 years on, Tokyo hockey heroes get PCS, PPS jobs

Chandigarh, February 4

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann today handed over appointment letters for the posts of Punjab Civil Services (PCS) and Punjab Police Service (PPS) to 11 players, among them nine hockey stars who won a historic bronze at the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo. The list inludes Indian women’s cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur and shot-putter Tejinder Toor.

Ccricket icon Harman, Toor also on list

• Punjab Police Service (7)
  Harmanpreet Singh, Mandeep Singh, Varun Kumar, Shamsher Singh and Dilpreet Singh (all hockey); Harmanpreet Kaur (cricket) and Tejinder Toor (shot-put)
• Punjab Civil Services (4)
  Rupinder Pal Singh, Simranjit Singh, Hardik Singh and Gurjant Singh (all hockey players)

The players who opted for PPS jobs are Harmanpreet Singh, Mandeep Singh, Varun Kumar, Shamsher Singh and Dilpreet Singh (all hockey); Harmanpreet Kaur (cricket) and hockey players Rupinder Pal Singh, Simranjit Singh,

Hardik Singh and Gurjant Singh have been given the PCS jobs. The Indian hockey team had created history in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics by winning a medal (bronze) after a gap of 41 years.

The CM said the state would club sports with an anti-drug campaign, for which a massive budget would be earmarked from the next fiscal. He said about 2,100 posts were being advertised annually in the Punjab Police for recruitment.

Hockey player Harmanpreet Singh said it was a big day for all players from Punjab who participated in the 2021 Olympics. Rupinder Pal said the move would motivate the budding players.