Odisha govt to fete 1975 World Cup-winning hockey legends

NEW DELHI: The living legends of 1975 World Cup-winning hockey team will be felicitated by the Odisha government ahead of the opening ceremony of the men’s hockey World Cup in Bhubaneswar on November 27. The state government will hand out one-time cash awards to 13 members of the celebrated squad. The amount is yet to be finalised.
The 16-team World Cup will be played from November 28 to December 16.
According to the information with TOI, the 13 living legends – including Ajit Pal Singh who captained and led the team to victory during the World Cup in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), and Ashok Kumar, son of legendary late Major Dhyan Chand – will assemble in Bhubaneswar on November 25 and the Odisha government will hold a state dinner for them on November 26.
On the day of the opening ceremony, the team members will be felicitated at the Kalinga stadium, the venue of the tournament, with a cheque and memento by Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik, in the presence of international hockey federation (FIH) president Narinder Batra and other dignitaries. The legends, who have already been informed about the proposed ceremony, will also take a lap of honour of the Kalinga stadium.
Apart from Ajit Pal and Ashok, the other legends who will attend the felicitation include Mohammad Aslam Sher Khan, Brig. Harcharan Singh VSM, Leslie Fernandez, Varinder Singh, Ashok Diwan, Michael Kindo, B.P. Govinda, Brig. HJS Chimni, V J Phillips, Onkar Singh and Kaliah P.E. The wives of late Surjit Singh and late Shivaji Parwar and brother of late Mohinder Singh have also been extended invitations.
Four years back, in May 2014, Hockey India had invited and felicitated the 1975 World Cup winners, awarding each team member with a payment of Rs 175,000.