Bhubaneswar: Former India captain Rani Rampal is optimistic about the men’s and women’s national teams winning gold medals in the upcoming Hangzhou Asian Games.
“Asian Games is very important as teams winning gold medals will directly qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics. I am optimistic that both our men’s and women’s teams will secure Olympic tickets at Hangzhou,” said Rani at the Dr Ashok Pattnaik Memorial Lecture on Asian Games at Kalinga Stadium Tennis Centre here on Friday.
Exhorting budding hockey talents at the 25th death anniversary programme of eminent sports journalist Dr Ashok Pattnaik, Padmashree Awardee Rani, emphasised that hard work is the key to success.
“Hard work and the will to win against all odds have helped me come thus far. Work with dedication and after 10 years you will be where I am today,’’ added Rani, under whose captaincy India won silver medal in the 2018 Asian Games and reached the semifinals for the first time at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
Rani, who has not been selected in the Indian team for the Asian Games, is currently in Odisha as a mentor and coach of the newly-constituted women’s sub-junior core group for a National camp.
The mercurial striker showered praise on the Odisha government for promoting sports, especially hockey.
“The Odisha government, led by sports-loving Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, has set an example for other states to follow,’’ said Rani, the chief guest of the programme which was organised by Odisha Sports Journalists’ Association (OSJA).
State Sports department Director Siddhartha Das, Odisha Hockey Director David John and Odisha Naval Tata Hockey HPC Project Director Rajiv Seth lauded the role of sports journalists in inspiring athletes and popularising sports in the country.
Paying tribute to Dr Pattnaik, Rani and the other guests unveiled a souvenir. The guests were felicitated with mementos.
Sandeep Mishra, Suresh Swain Felicitated
OSJA president Sandeep Mishra and joint-secretary Suresh Kumar Swain were felicitated for being nominated/elected as member of the Golden Jubilee Committee and Executive Committee member respectively of the Sports Journalists’ Federation of India (SJFI).
OSJA working president K Ravi, secretary Debi Prasanna Mohanty, treasurer Debasis Sundaray, former SJFI executive committee member Sambit Mohapatra, other members of OSJA and trainees of Bhubaneswar Sports Hostel and Hockey HPC were present at the programme.
