Chhapra: The victory of the Indian women’s hockey team in the recently concluded Asian Champions Trophy at Rajgir has not only brought pride to the nation but has also delighted the residents of Saran district. The team’s coach, Harendra Singh, who played a key role in this triumph, hails from Banwar-Batraha village in Saran.
Singh’s contributions have been widely celebrated in his hometown. Sports enthusiasts in Chhapra, including members of the Saran District Hockey Association, have expressed their joy over the team’s success.
The Indian women’s hockey team, which defeated China in the final on Wednesday, was trained by Singh, who has also previously coached the Indian men’s team and the USA hockey team. In Singh’s village, residents celebrated the victory with by distributing sweets and bursting crackers to honour his efforts.
Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar announced an award of Rs 10 lakh for Singh. Relatives of the coach, including Jitendra Singh, Yogendra Singh and Dhrubdeo Gupta (husband of the local mukhiya), congratulated him. “He has achieved this special status through hard work and determination,” they said.
“I developed an interest in coaching hockey after attending matches with my father in New Delhi. It was during those moments that I decided to dedicate my career to hockey coaching,” Singh had said during a visit to Chhapra a few months ago.