Punjab Newsline | Jalandhar
Punjab is witnessing a historic moment in hockey as it hosts the Asian Champions Trophy for the first time, bringing international hockey action to the Olympian Surjeet Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar. The tournament has generated tremendous excitement among hockey enthusiasts, families of Indian players and former Olympians, who are turning up in large numbers to support the teams.
Nitin Kohli, President of Hockey Punjab, said Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann had given a major gift to hockey lovers by bringing an international tournament of this scale to Punjab. He described the event as a historic milestone for the state's sporting community, allowing fans to watch Asia's top hockey teams compete on home soil.
He further said Punjab had also staked its claim to host the 2030 Hockey World Cup, reflecting the state's ambition to become a major international hockey destination. Bhola Nath, Secretary General of Hockey India, also praised Punjab's hockey infrastructure, describing it as being of international standards.
The Indian team features eight players from Punjab, including captain Harmanpreet Singh, Hardik Singh, Mandeep Singh, Dilpreet Singh, Sukhjeet Singh, Jugraj Singh, Jarmanpreet Singh and Krishan Bahadur Pathak. Their families have been regularly attending the matches to cheer for the players.
Harmanpreet Singh's parents, Sarbjit Singh and Rajvinder Kaur, his wife Amandeep Kaur, her parents and their daughters Ruhani and Mehr have been present at the stadium. In a special moment, Harmanpreet's four-month-old daughter Mehr visited the hockey ground for the first time and was lovingly held by her father after the match.
Hardik Singh's father, Varinder Singh, mother Onia Rai and younger brother, who recently won the Junior Asia Cup for India, have also been supporting him from the stands. Varinder Singh additionally performed his duties as part of the Chief Minister's SPG security detail during the first match.
Other family members cheering for the Indian players include Mandeep Singh's father Ravinder Singh and Davinderjit Kaur, Sukhjeet Singh's parents Ajit Singh and Kuldip Kaur, Jarmanpreet Singh's parents Balbir Singh and Kulwinder Kaur, and Dilpreet Singh's parents Balwinder Singh and Sukhwant Kaur.
The tournament has also witnessed the presence of several hockey legends. Three-time Olympian and former Indian captain Baljit Singh Dhillon described the event as a positive development for Punjab hockey, saying it would inspire a new generation of players. Olympians Harpreet Singh Mander and Gurbaz Singh, who currently hold senior positions in Punjab Police, were also seen enjoying the matches.
Moscow Olympics gold medallist Surinder Singh Sodhi interacted with players on the third day of the competition, while Olympians Gurjant Singh and Gurwinder Singh presided over the Man of the Match ceremonies.
Adding to the tournament's success is a dedicated team of more than 70 young volunteers from the Surjeet Hockey Academy. The youngsters are performing various responsibilities, including serving as ball boys and carrying national flags during team line-ups.
Interestingly, several current Indian team players, including Harmanpreet Singh, Mandeep Singh, Hardik Singh, Jarmanpreet Singh and Krishan Bahadur Pathak, once trained and played at the same stadium as young players of the academy.
The Asian Champions Trophy features six teams — India, South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, China and Bangladesh. All league matches are being played at the Olympian Surjeet Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar from October 27 to November 2. The semi-finals and final are scheduled to take place in Mohali on November 4 and 5, respectively.
