India News | Jharkhand Showers Gifts on State's Olympian Hockey Players

Ranchi, Aug 11 (PTI) Jharkhand on Tuesday accorded a grand welcome to its Olympian woman hockey players Salima Tete and Nikki Pradhan, with Chief Minister Hemant Soren showering them with gifts and handing them over Rs 50 lakh each.

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Announcing that the two will be given furnished houses, two-wheelers, laptops and smartphones, Soren said that the state government is committed to hone skills of sportspersons and encourage players to shine globally.

"The medal may have proved elusive but the way these girls played, they have become icons for the state. Coming from a very humble background, they attained a feat that is like a dream. The government is trying to provide them with certain facilities as these players are future coaches," he said while felicitating the two players.

The national women's hockey team created history in the Tokyo Olympics by entering the semifinals of the Games for the first time, surpassing all expectations. They, however, lost 3-4 to Great Britain in a hard-fought bronze play-off.

The chief minister handed over cheques of Rs 50 lakh each to midfielders Tete and Pradhan.

"We will provide furnished 3,000 square feet houses to both the players at their ancestral places in recognition of the struggles they underwent. They came from a background where there is no electricity, no roads and yet they achieved this feat," Soren said.

Salima Tete (19) hails from Badkichapar village in Simdega district and Nikki Pradhan (27) from Hesal village in Khunti.

To promote players, the government has embarked on a multi-pronged strategy that includes providing them with jobs and training, he said adding that the government has given jobs to 40 national and international players.

The government will set up Residential Sports Centre where free training will be imparted to hockey, football, athletics, archery, badminton and volleyball players, he said.

Soren said there will also be a day boarding training school where deserving players will be provided with financial assistance.

In case the state's players and coaches meet with an accident, the government will bear the entire cost of treatment, the chief minister said.

Earlier in the day, Tete and Pradhan were accorded a grand welcome on their arrival at the Birsa Munda Airport here.

The Jharkhand government had declared before the start of the Olympics that Rs two crore would be given to the players of the state for winning gold, Rs one crore for winning silver and Rs 50 lakh for winning bronze.

"I salute the entire Indian women's hockey team....For the better performance of the daughters of Jharkhand, the government will modify its earlier decision to give and provide Rs 50 lakh each to Jharkhand's hockey players," Soren had said after the women's team lost the play-off for bronze.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)