Chandigarh, July 4: The Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal today congratulated Indian women Hockey team for victory over Japan by 1-0 in world hockey league semi finals at Antwerp, Belgium. He said Indian eves have also kept Olympic qualification chances alive after a gap of 36 years by achieving fifth place, which will create a new history for the first time.
In a felicitation message, Mr. Badal, who is also president of Punjab Hockey Association, said the Indian women has brought credit to the nation besides marking new milestone on the map of Hockey game. He said their achievement has added a new feather to the prestigious and glorious cap of Indian Hockey. He said that by securing Asian berth, Indian girls have brought laurels.
Congratulating the players and coaches for this rare achievement, Deputy CM said, “I am fully confident that the Indian women Hockey has taken the right track and will come back with glorious and peerless outcome in ensuing Rio de Janeiro Olympic 2016.”
It is pertinent here that on Sunday Indian women Hockey eves, ranked 13 in the world, has defeated Japan with 1-0 and achieved fifth position in the in world hockey league semi finals. India’s only previous appearance in the women’s hockey tournament of the Olympics was in Masco 1980.