UP’s scoop in Indian hockey’s once-in-52 years Paris Oly feat

Lucknow: From Paris to eastern UP, there was jubiliation as India repeated history after 52 years, defeating Spain 2-1 in the bronze medal match, on Thursday. Two UP players in the Indian team, Lalit Upadhyay from Varanasi and Rajkumar Pal from Ghazipur, were lauded for their crucial role in the win. This is Upadhyay’s second stint in the Olympics, while it was Pal’s Olympics debut. Talking to TOI from Paris, Lalit Upadhyay said, “This match and medal are special because we have won medals back-to-back in the Olympics after 52 years. People had hoped for gold in hockey this time, but we faltered in the semifinals. So, we worked really hard and secured the bronze medal. The golden era of hockey has returned. Winning a medal for the country is a huge achievement, and I am fortunate to have won the medal twice. I might be the first player from UP to win medals two consecutive times in Olympics. I thank the people of my country, state and police department for which I work, for their blessings and support, which helped us win the medal. I also thank Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for giving us jobs and maintaining his trust in us, which we upheld by winning the medal.”Talking to TOI from Paris too, chief selector of the hockey India team and sports director of Uttar Pradesh, R P Singh, said, “I congratulate the nation. Winning medals in the Olympics twice in a row is a matter of great joy.”When asked about team selection, Singh said, “When I was selecting the Indian hockey team, I included 11 experienced players and gave chance to five new players. I was confident this combination would work well, with the seniors’ experience and fresh energy of debutants and that is exactly what happened. Our entire team played well, and both players from UP performed exceptionally well.”Talking to TOI, Lalit’s father, Satish Upadhyay, said, “We were disappointed after losing semifinals because expectation for gold was higher this time. India had defeated all the teams in its pool. Winning a medal for the second consecutive time is no less than gold. Varanasi is celebrating.”Talking to TOI, Rajkumar Pal’s elder brother, Jokhan Pal, said, “We are three brothers and all of us played hockey and advanced in our careers. I joined the Indian Army through sports quota, while another brother Raju Pal, is also a national-level hockey player and an Indian Railways employee. Today is a proud moment because my younger brother has fulfilled my dream of winning a medal for the country. Our father was a truck driver who passed away in an accident and we faced many ups and downs but never gave up hockey. Tej Bahadur Singh and his family, founders of the Meghbaran Singh Stadium in Karampur, helped us a lot and taught us how to move forward in life.”Jokhan continued, “All three of us learned and progressed in hockey at Meghbaran Singh Stadium. Today, I was fortunate to watch my younger brother’s match on a big screen in the same stadium. Rajkumar always talks to the family before his match after putting on his kit and today was no different; he sounded very confident about winning the game.”Rajkumar Pal’s mother, Manraji Pal, said, “I am very happy because my son has won a medal for the country, and I won’t eat today because my stomach is full of the joy of victory.”
Explore the yearly horoscope 2025 for Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces zodiac signs. Spread love this holiday season with these New Year wishes, messages and quotes.