Sreejesh, Deepika claim top spoils at Hockey India awards

Players pose with their trophies at the Hockey India annual awards ceremony in Bengaluru on Saturday.

India’s hockey stars from the yesteryears and the present came under one roof to celebrate the sport’s successful year in the second edition of the Hockey India awards ceremony here on Saturday.

In a gala ceremony that included entertaining performances, senior India men’s goalkeeper P.R. Sreejesh and women’s team defender Deepika were adjudged best player of the year for their outstanding performance last season. Indian team’s Kothajit Singh took home the best defender of the year.

With the women’s team making the Olympics after 36 years since the Moscow Games, Ritu Rani (best midfielder) and Savitha (best goalkeeper) took away cash prizes for their effort. Hockey India felicitated the team and the staff for their qualification and were handed Rs. 1 lakh each.

Taking home a cash prize of Rs 25 lakhs, India defender Deepika believed the rewards for the players was a boost. “It’s a motivation for the women players. The cash award will help us a lot and it’s better for the sport too. There is been a huge change right now and I think hockey will grow a lot. These cash awards make us feel financially secured,” said Deepika.

Meanwhile Sreejesh, an entertainer both on and off the field was ecstatic after winning the award. “That’s the way I celebrate on the field and did the same on stage also. That’s a feeling and that’s how I try to show my happiness after winning,” said the seasoned goalkeeper, who has been rested from the team for the upcoming Sultan Azlan Shah tournament in Malaysia next month.

The out-spoken goalie Sreejesh dedicated the award to his team-mates.

“In a team event, it’s very hard to value the effort of an individual. It’s all about the support from defenders, midfielders and forwards,” he added.