BHOPAL: After the state of the art international cricket stadium in Indore, it is now the turn of either Bhopal or Gwalior to get a world-class hockey stadium. Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced this during the felicitation of the Indian women’s hockey team at Minto Hall on Tuesday.
Chouhan and sports minister Yashodhara Raje Scindia presented Rs 31 lakh each to the players of the Indian women hockey team, who made the country proud by making it to the semifinals of the Olympics in the recently concluded Tokyo Olympics.
On this occasion, president of international hockey federation Narinder Dhruv Batra, who also happens to be the president of Indian Olympic Association, was the special guest. Sports minister Scindia presided over the function.
Shivraj Singh said that Madhya Pradesh will leave no stone unturned for the development of sports. “Whether it is Bhopal or Gwalior, wherever it is possible a world-class hockey stadium will be constructed. This will benefit both sportspersons and sports enthusiasts,” said Chouhan.
CM said, continuous work is being done for the promotion of sports in Madhya Pradesh. “The initiative to remove the financial problems of women hockey players took place in 2010 in Madhya Pradesh. After that, the hockey academy was strengthened. Today it is one of the best hockey academies in the country,” he added.
“Even after playing very well in the semi-final match of the Olympics, women hockey players could not win and tears were visible in their eyes. At that time I resolved that members of the team would be honoured in Bhopal.
“Prior to this, work has been done to honour the talented player of Indian men's hockey team Vivek Sagar with an honorarium of Rs 1 crore, appointment to the post of Deputy SP and a house,” said Chouhan.
Sports minister Scindia said, “It is a special occasion to honour the Indian women's hockey team, including five women hockey players trained in the Women's Hockey Academy of MP.”
