Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath grandly welcomed the prestigious trophy of the FIH Hockey Men's Junior World Cup 2025 in Lucknow on Wednesday.
Lucknow: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath grandly welcomed the prestigious trophy of the FIH Hockey Men's Junior World Cup 2025, which will be held in Tamil Nadu, to Lucknow on Wednesday. On this occasion, he stated that the arrival of the FIH Hockey Men's Junior World Cup 2025 trophy in the capital of Uttar Pradesh is a moment of pride and joy for the entire state.
He said that this event will not only encourage the spirit of sportsmanship but also inspire youngsters to showcase their talent at an international level. A total of 24 teams, including India, China, Belgium, Japan, Spain, New Zealand, Chile, Canada, and Australia, are participating in the Junior Men's Hockey World Cup.
Junior World Cup to be held in Tamil Nadu
The Chief Minister informed that the FIH Hockey Men's Junior World Cup 2025 will be held in Chennai and Madurai, Tamil Nadu, from November 28 to December 10. For the first time, 24 national teams will participate in this tournament, including countries like India, China, Belgium, Japan, Spain, New Zealand, Chile, Canada, and Australia. India won this title in 2001 and 2016 and will enter the field this time as hosts, aiming to become champions for the third time.
Major Dhyan Chand and KD Singh Babu Remembered
CM Yogi Adityanath stated in his address that the land of Uttar Pradesh has been the workplace of legendary hockey players like Major Dhyan Chand and KD Singh Babu. He said, “Major Dhyan Chand secured India three Olympic gold medals, etching his name in golden letters in the world's sports history. We are proud that he hailed from the soil of Uttar Pradesh.”
The Chief Minister informed that the state government is constructing the Major Dhyan Chand Sports University in Meerut, and its first academic session has already commenced. This university will become an international-level center for sporting talents. Referring to KD Singh Babu's contribution, he said that his residence in Barabanki is being developed into a museum so that the new generation can draw inspiration from his contributions.
Pride in Uttar Pradesh's Hockey Players
Chief Minister Yogi said that Uttar Pradesh has produced many talented hockey players who have brought glory to the country at an international level. He specifically named Padma awardees such as Mohammad Shahid, Ashok Kumar, Ravindra Pal, Syed Ali, Dr. R.P. Singh, Sujit Kumar, Abdul Aziz, Subodh Khandekar, Rajnish Mishra, Mohammad Shakeel, Devesh Chauhan, M.P. Singh, Jagveer Singh, Rahul Singh, Vivek Singh, Lalit Upadhyay, Danish Mujtaba, Rajkumar Pal, Prem Maya, Ranjana Srivastava, Manju Bisht, Pushpa Srivastava, and Preeti Dubey.
He added that even currently, players like Rajkumar Pal, Uttam Singh, Vishnukant Singh, Mumtaz, Sakshi, Jyoti, and Poornima are bringing fame to the state and the country by being selected in the Indian senior and junior teams.
Government's Commitment to Promoting Sportsmanship
The Chief Minister stated that his government is continuously striving to promote sports and provide better facilities to athletes. He said, “Uttar Pradesh has a golden history in hockey, and we are determined to take it further. Projects like the Major Dhyan Chand Sports University are part of this resolve.”
Yogi Adityanath welcomed all officials associated with the FIH Hockey Men's Junior World Cup 2025 to Lucknow and extended his best wishes for the tournament's success. He also wished for the victory and excellent performance of all Indian team players.
On this occasion, Minister of Sports and Youth Welfare of the state, Girish Chandra Yadav, Secretary of the Sports Department, Suhas L. Y. V., Director Dr. R.P. Singh, Secretary General of Hockey India, Bholanath Singh, DG Hockey India Commander R.K. Srivastava, Secretary General of Uttar Pradesh Hockey, Rajneesh Kumar Mishra, international player Lalit Upadhyay, along with several other officials and players, were present.
