States » NorthPosted at: Oct 5 2026 11:39PM


Golden homecoming: Families hail India’s Asian Games Hockey triumph as champions return to Amritsar

Neeraj Bali
Chandigarh, Oct 5 (UNI) Families of Indian hockey stars Hardik Singh and Jugraj Singh celebrated the national team’s Asian Games gold medal triumph as the players returned to Amritsar, hailing India’s dominant campaign while offering contrasting views over the absence of government and administrative officials at the airport.
Family members and hockey enthusiasts gathered at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport to welcome the players after India capped a commanding Asian Games campaign with the gold medal.
Hardik Singh’s brother Manmeet Singh and Jugraj Singh’s uncle Sukhdev Singh were among those who reached the airport to receive the players.
Manmeet said India’s performance throughout the tournament underlined the team’s growing strength and dominance in Asian hockey.
“I have come here to receive my brother Hardik Singh. It is a matter of immense pride for us that the Indian team consistently performed brilliantly and won the gold medal for the country,” Manmeet said.
“All the strong teams of Asia compete at the Asian Games, but our team dominated its opponents. The way India played shows the level Indian hockey has reached.”
Manmeet said there had been some nervousness in the family during the early stages of the decisive match, but India’s performance soon eased those concerns.
“There was some nervousness initially about how the match would unfold,” he said. “But as the game progressed and India established its grip, that nervousness disappeared. The performance made us confident that India would emerge champion.”
He said the team was in strong form and expressed confidence that it would carry the momentum into upcoming major international competitions.
‘Jugraj made the country and our village proud’
For Jugraj Singh’s family, the gold medal sparked celebrations not only at home but across their village. His uncle Sukhdev Singh said congratulatory messages had been pouring in after the team’s success. “Jugraj is my nephew. He played brilliantly, scored goals and made the entire country proud,” Sukhdev said.
“He has brought honour to India and to our village. This great achievement has come with the blessings of Guru Ram Das Ji.”
Recalling the tense moments while watching the match, Sukhdev said the family had gone through an emotional roller-coaster before India’s commanding performance put the contest beyond doubt.
“Our heartbeats kept rising and falling because we did not know what would happen next,” he said. “When India won, it was a moment of immense relief and pride. These players work so hard for the country and raise the honour of the Tricolour across the world.”
Families differ over absence of officials
The absence of government and administrative representatives at the airport drew contrasting reactions from the two families. Sukhdev expressed disappointment, saying officials should have been present to encourage players returning after winning a gold medal for India.
“We have no major complaint against anyone, but when these youngsters return after winning a gold medal for the country, the administration should be there to encourage them,” he said.
“Big things are said on television, but when the actual moment comes, nobody turns up. The players deserve encouragement for what they have achieved for the country.”
Manmeet, however, struck a conciliatory note, saying the late-night arrival could have made it difficult for officials to attend. He said officials had been present when players returned during the Tokyo Olympics and that too much should not be read into their absence on this occasion.
“It was late at night, so everyone may have had their own constraints,” Manmeet said, adding that the focus should remain on the players and their achievement.
The families said they hoped India would maintain its winning momentum in upcoming international competitions, with the Asian Games triumph adding another chapter to Punjab’s long association with Indian hockey.
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