Will inspire youth that if you win, you will be honoured, respected: India hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh

NEW DELHI: The Harmanpreet Singh-led Indian men's hockey team achieved a historic milestone, winning back-to-back bronze medals at the recently concluded Paris Olympics .

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Sunday honored the players for their achievements, emphasizing their role as inspirations for the youth.

Harmanpreet, who captained the team to a 2-1 victory over Spain to secure the bronze, expressed his belief that such recognition and honor will motivate the next generation to strive for medals.

The skipper highlighted the importance of being felicitated by the government, as it signals respect and acknowledgment for the athletes' hard work.

"It is a big thing that after winning a medal, the Punjab government is felicitating you. This will also inspire youth that if you win, you will be honoured and respected," Harmanpreet told ANI.

During the felicitation ceremony, players including Harmanpreet, Manpreet Singh, Samsher Singh, Gurjant Singh, Germanpreet Singh, Hardik Singh, Mandeep Singh, and Sukhjeet Singh received Rs 1 crore each from the Punjab government.

In addition to the hockey players, several shooters such as Sifat Kaur Samra, Anjum Mudgil, Vijayveer Singh Sidhu, Arjun Singh Cheema, Arjun Babuta, and Rajeshwari Kumari were also awarded cash prizes.

Mandeep Singh also shared his views on the positive impact of such honors. "Such honour will boost the morale of the upcoming players. The inclination of the youth towards sports has increased in Punjab, and the reason for this is the policies made for sports by the Punjab government and the central government."

The Chief Minister, during the ceremony, praised the dedication and hard work of the athletes, calling them the pride of the state. He assured that the state government would provide all possible support to these athletes and underscored their role as sources of inspiration for the youth.

Overall, India ended its campaign at the Paris Olympics with six medals, including five bronze and one silver.