Members of nationalmen's and women's hockey team belonging to Punjab and Haryana on Wednesdayreturned to their home states to a rousing reception after their stupendousperformances in the Tokyo Olympics.
The Punjab players inthe bronze medal winning Indian men's hockey team led by Manpreet Singh andwomen player Gurjit Kaur paid obeisance at Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) inAmritsar on Wednesday.
Immediately aftertheir arrival at Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport in Amritsar, thehockey players were accorded a warm welcome by the district administration.
People gathered onthe roads to welcome them while some did 'bhangra' and danced to the beats of'dhol'.
Shiromani GurdwaraParbandhak Committee, the apex religious body of the Sikhs, had sent a buswhich the players boarded to reach the Golden Temple where they paid obeisance.
The players laterheaded to their respective homes at various places in Punjab, includingJalandhar.
At the Golden Templecomplex, SGPC honoured the Indian men's team with Rs 1 crore for winning abronze medal at Tokyo Olympics.
The SGPG organised aspecial event in front of the Information Office and presented each of theplayers a 'siropa' (robe of honour).
Around 11:30 am, thefour team members Manpreet Singh, Mandeep Singh and Varun Kumar, who areresidents of Mithapur village, and the fourth player, Hardik Singh, who hailsfrom Khusropur village in Jalandhar, left for their village.
Manpreet Singh,Mandeep Singh and Varun Kumar were welcomed near BSF Chowk and flowers wereshowered on them. After that, he traveled the whole city in an open jeep andpeople welcomed him very much.
They went to theplace where they started the hockey game. Here, small children who are hockeyplayers welcomed all the three players and after that all three met with themedia. While interacting with the media, Captain Manpreet Singh told that he ishappy that the medal has come in the country after 41 years. Before this, whenthe medal came, he was not even born. After this medal, hockey in the countrywill be more cheerful.