New Delhi: Continuing with its initiative of recognising the efforts of players who have brought laurels to the country, Hockey India (HI) will felicitate the greats, who won the only World Cup for India in the year 1975 at Kuala Lumpur, on May 14.
Besides felicitating the players, HI will also announce the Indian squad for the upcoming FIH World Cup to be held in The Hague, Netherlands from May 31 to June 15.
Hockey India has invited all 13 living members of the 1975 World Cup winning team in the capital, where they will be presented with a token one-time payment of Rs. 1,75,000 each.
Speaking on the occasion Narinder Batra, Secretary General, Hockey India said, "It's a great honour for us to felicitate the legends who made us proud of being the Champion holders of the 1975 World Cup. These initiatives are an effort to make the present team believe that they too can do what their seniors have achieved in the past."
HI started the initiative of felicitating players in 2012, when all the living Olympic gold medalists were invited and presented one-time payment of Rs. 2 lakhs, on the occasion of wishing the Indian squad, which was representing the country during the London Olympics that year.
And now as the present squad is all set to compete in the FIH World Cup, Hockey India has invited the members of only team to have won the prestigious Cup, to come and wish the team before they leave for the Hague.
The lists of invitees include Ajit Pal Singh, who captained and led the team to victory during the 1975 World Cup. To his credit, he has represented India in the prestigious tournament on three occasions -- 1971 World Cup, Barcelona wherein the ream bagged the bronze and 1973 World Cup, Amsterdam where they bought back the silver.
He was also a part of two Olympics Games in Mexico 1968 (bronze) and 1972 (bronze). He won the Arjuna Award in 1970 and Padamshree in 1992 for his contribution to the sport.
Ashok Kumar, son of legendary late Major Dhyan Chand, is the first of two Indians who represented the country in four World Cup tournaments, including Barcelona 1971 (bronze), 1973 Amsterdam (silver), Kuala Lumpur 1975 (gold) and Buenos Aires 1978.
He was also instrumental in scoring the winning goal for India against Pakistan in the finale of the 1975 World Cup.
Ashok Kumar also participated in the two Olympic Games in Munich 1972 (bronze) and Montreal 1976.
Others to be felicitated are defender Mohd Aslam Sher Khan, Brig. Harcharan Singh VSM, Leslie Fernandez, Varinder Singh, Ashok Diwan, Michael Kindo, B P Govinda, Brig. HJS Chimni, V J Phillips, Onkar Singh, Kaliah P E.
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