Jalandhar, April 1, 2024 (Yes Punjab News)
The first edition of the Surjit 5S Women’s Hockey Gold Cup-2024 will be played from April 5 at the local Olympian Surjit Five-A-Side Hockey Stadium, Burlton Park.
According to Mr. Lekh Raj Nayyar, IRS (Retd.), Working President of Surjit Hockey Society that tournament is organized every year to keep the name alive of the former Indian hockey team captain and Ex-Olympian late Sardar Surjit Singh Randhawa, who lost his life in a tragic car accident near Jalandhar on January 7, 1984, .
Iqbal Singh Sandhu, PCS (Retd), CEO of the society that the tournament will be played on a ‘league-cum-knockout’ basis. Eight top teams of the country , namely Central Railway Mumbai, Punjab-XI, CRPF Delhi, Northern Railway Delhi, Haryana-XI, Rail Coach Factory Kapurthala, Union Bank of India Mumbai and Sports Authority of India, Sonepat will participate.
The teams have been divided into two pools and the final match of the tournament will be played on April 7.
Hockey India has appointed Rohini Bopanna (Karnataka) as Technical Director, G.S. Sangha as umpire manager, Renu Bala, Harinder Kaur and Renu as technical officials, Deepa (Delhi), Bhagyashree Agarwal (Maharashtra), Shivani Sharma (Haryana) and Dharmbir Kaur, Punjab have been appointed as umpires for this tournament, Sandhu added.
Mr. Lakhwinderpal Singh Khaira, Working President that a cash prize of ₹ 2.57 lakh to the teams is sponsored by renowned sports promoter and Chairman of Gakhal Group, USA, who sponsor ₹ 5.51 lakh cash prize to the winning team of the Surjit Hockey Tournament every year.
Similarly, the Best Player & Best Goalkeeper of the tournament will be awarded ₹ 11,000 each alongwith the Late Mrs. Swadesh Chopra Memorial Award.
According to Surinder Singh Bhapa, Secretary General said that these matches will be played under ‘day and flood lights’ and the entry of spectators will be free.
All arrangements for boarding & lodging, transport, security, medical etc. of the players and officials have been completed.
Secretary of the society, Mr. Ranbir Singh Tut informed that the semi-finals, third & fourth place matches and the final match of the tournament will be played on April 7.
The tournament will be inaugurated by renowned American sports promoter, eminent farmer, transporter Mr. Ranjit Singh Tut (Tutt Brothers, USA) at 6.30 pm while Mr. Sukhdev Singh, Managing Director, AGI Infra, Jalandhar will distribute prizes to the teams.
All the matches of the tournament will be shown live on Surjit Hockey Society’s YouTube channel and social media.
