In a real life “Chak De India” moment, the Indian women’s hockey team, edged past China 5-4 via shootout to win the women’s Asia Cup hockey title in Japan yesterday. With this stupendous victory, India has also qualified for next year’s World Cup as Continental champion.
The team broke a 13-year-old jinx – it was in 2004, when India women had clinched the trophy, fighting Japan in Asia Cup Finals. India had failed to qualify for the last World Cup and finished ninth in the 2010 edition.
Many famous personalities turned to social media to congratulate the sportswomen on their victory.
Congratulations Team India on winning the Women’s #AsiaCup2017 final. You have made us proud
— Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) November 5, 2017
Congratulations to our hockey team on winning the Women’s #AsiaCup2017. India is delighted by their stellar performance.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 5, 2017
Indian sports is fraught with a multitude of infrastructure, and administrative problems, and women’s sports are given least priority, having the additional burden of patriarchy and societal constraints. In such a scenario, this victory is extremely special, for the girls have truly won not just a game, but an ongoing battle against societal pressures on women to be a particular way.
Our project in Haryana, aimed to encourage more girls into various sports, is centred around this idea, of empowerment via sports. We applaud this achievement and hope to see many more such victories from women across the country!
