Dr Mandaviya felicitates men's and women's teams for their stupendous performance at U-18 Hockey Asia Cup
New Delhi, June 8
The Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, felicitated both the Indian men's and women's hockey teams at the Sports Authority of India Head Office in New Delhi on Monday for their stupendous performance in the just-concluded Under-18 Asia Cup in Japan.
The Indian U-18 men's hockey team, led by captain Ketan Kushwaha, was crowned champions of the U-18 Asia Cup 2026 after defeating hosts Japan 4-1 in the final in Kakamigahara on Friday.
The Union Sports Minister handed a cheque of INR 61.5 lakh to the men's team.
On the other hand, the Indian U-18 women's hockey team, led by captain Sweety Kujur, secured the bronze medal at the Under-18 Asia Cup after registering a commanding 3-0 victory over Korea in the bronze medal match.
Dr Mandaviya handed the women's team a cheque of INR 21 Lakh as encouragement.
Dr Mandaviya shared words of encouragement for both the men's and women's teams, saying, "I would like to congratulate both the teams for the hard work they have put in for bringing laurels for the country. The entire nation is proud of you. I would like to tell you that this is just the start. There is no alternative to hard work.
"Someone who has scored 13 goals should think of scoring 15 or more goals. Someone who has stopped 10 goals should aim for not letting the opponents even score one. Whether you study or play sports, there should be total commitment. Keep performing to the best of your abilities and making your parents and well-wishers happy; that should be your aim," he said.
Dr Mandaviya said that the Government of India is fully committed to transforming India into a sports superpower as envisioned by our Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Sports Minister also felicitated the Best scorer in the men's & women's teams, Ashish Tani Purti and Nousheen Naz, and the best goalkeeper, Ayush Rajak, who saved 10 goals in the prestigious tournament.
The Sports Minister also felicitated former Indian hockey captains Rani Rampal and Sardara Singh, who are serving as the coaches of the Indian women's and men's teams, respectively, for the Under-18 Asia Cup.
— IANS
Reader Comments
So proud of our young champs! 🏑 But I wish the prize money was more equal between men and women – ₹61.5 lakh for men vs ₹21 lakh for women. The girls also gave a sterling performance and won bronze. We need to value our women athletes equally. Let's hope this gap narrows soon. Still, congratulations to both teams – you've made India proud!
This is fantastic news! Our U-18 hockey teams are showing the world what Indian hockey is capable of. Special shout-out to Ashish Tani Purti and Nousheen Naz for being top scorers, and Ayush Rajak for those 10 crucial saves. With proper support and encouragement from the government, we can definitely become a sports superpower. Well done to all! 🎉
Good to see the Ministry recognizing young talent. However, I hope this isn't just a photo-op moment. Our grassroots hockey infrastructure still needs massive improvement. These kids train hard despite limited facilities in many states. Nevertheless, congratulations to both teams – you've done the nation proud! Let's hope this leads to better investment in hockey across India.
Rani Rampal and Sardara Singh as coaches – what a masterstroke! Having legends guide these young players will be invaluable. Our U-18 boys dominated the tournament and the girls showed great character to beat Korea. This is the pipeline we need for future Olympics success. Government's focus on sports is paying off. Let's keep supporting our young athletes! 🌟
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