Ranchi, Oct 3 (PTI) Jharkhand Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar and Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Saturday congratulated the Indian women’s hockey team for winning the gold medal at the Asian Games after 44 years, and said the achievement is a “source of pride” for the state and the country.
Four members of the gold-winning hockey team hail from Jharkhand. Captain Salima Tete, Beauty Dungdung and Deepika Soreng are from Simdega, and Nikki Pradhan is from Khunti district.
“Heartiest congratulations and best wishes to the Indian women’s hockey team for winning the gold medal at the Asian Games. The inclusion of Jharkhand’s daughters — Captain Salima Tete, Nikki Pradhan, Beauty Dungdung, and Deepika Soreng — in the Indian team is a matter of pride for the entire state,” Gangwar said in a post on social media.
Soren said the stellar performance of Indian athletes at the Asian Games is a matter of pride for the nation and a golden moment for every Indian.
“Our athletes, who came from every corner of the country, have elevated the nation’s honour through their talent, hard work, and spirit. Gold, silver, and bronze — behind every medal lies years of toil, discipline, and struggle,” the chief minister said in a post on social media.
Soren extended “special congratulations and greetings to Team India” for winning the historic gold medal in women’s hockey under “the leadership of indomitable captain Salima Tete”.
“This achievement is a source of pride for Jharkhand as well as the entire country. My heartfelt wishes to all the athletes who won medals at the Asian Games, represented the country, along with their coaches and support staff,” the CM said.
These accomplishments will inspire millions of young people across the country to step onto sports grounds and turn their dreams into reality, he said.
Hockey Jharkhand director general Bijay Shankar Singh also congratulated the team and all the girls for their achievement.
“When our four daughters return, they will receive a grand welcome in Ranchi. Hockey Jharkhand has completed all the preparations for their reception. I would like to appeal to people of Jharkhand to come and join us in welcoming them,” he said.
“This historic victory is very special for the country and Jharkhand, as our four daughters are part of the Indian team. It will bring not only new energy among our young and talented players but will also inspire them to carry forward the legacy that our daughters have created,” Hockey Jharkhand general secretary Manoj Konbegi told PTI.
The success of the Indian team under the leadership of a daughter of Simdega has “filled the country and Jharkhand with pride”, he said.
“With this victory, the team has also qualified for the Olympics to be held in Los Angeles. Tete and Pradhan played crucial roles on the field, while Beauty and Deepika were also part of this historic campaign,” he said.
Pradhan is the only Jharkhand-based player who has won three medals at the Asian Games so far. She won a silver medal in 2018, then a bronze in 2022, and a gold this time, Konbegi added.
Hockey Jharkhand also expressed its gratitude to the state government for its continuous support and contribution to the development of sports infrastructure.
Pradhan’s elder sister Shashi Pradhan said, “Many congratulations to the Indian women’s hockey team and to the four sisters of Jharkhand, including my younger sister Nikki. There is a celebratory atmosphere at home after winning gold. This was Nikki’s third Asian Games, and she won gold. We are very happy.”
“The Indian women’s team’s victory is a matter of pride for the entire country, Jharkhand and obviously for the family. I am very proud of her historic win at the Asian Games in Japan. The team not only won gold but also booked its berth for the upcoming Olympics. This is a very proud moment for us,” Salima Tete’s father Sulakshan Tete told PTI.
Hockey Simdega president Sunil Tirkey said that the Indian women’s hockey team’s victory is the outcome of their hard work.
“This remarkable achievement is also a beacon of light for our emerging young and talented players in the state. This victory will always be remembered because three of the four players from the state hail from the Simdega district and are part of the winning team,” he said.
India ended a 44-year wait for the Asian Games women’s hockey gold and qualified for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics with a performance built on one stunning strike and an extraordinary rearguard action, upstaging defending champions and Olympic silver-medallist China 1-0 in the final at Kakamigahara in Japan. PTI RPS BDC RPS ACD
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