Khunti/Simdega, Aug 2: People in the native villages of Nikki Pradhan and Salima Tete erupted
in joy and danced to the sounds of dhol and Mandar as the Indian Women’s Hockey Team created history by reaching into the semi-finals of the Tokyo Olympics.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren today congratulated the women’s hockey team for making it into the
semi-finals of the hockey tournament.
He said by making it into the semifinals daughters of the country have created history.
In Hesal village of Khunti district which is home of Nikki Pradhan people smeared Gulal on each
other and extended their greetings.
Father of Nikki, Soma Pradhan said he has full faith that the team will emerge victoriously.
He said that after Nikki was selected in the team he had given her blessings of coming
victorious.
Her mother Jitni Devi said that Nikki is the daughter of the entire country.
Jitni Devi said since her childhood days Nikki was inclined towards hockey and despite all the
odds she has faced in life she is now playing in Tokyo.
In Badki Chapar village in Simdega district which is home to Salima Tete, her family members
and other villagers watched the match on a generator as there was no power in the village.
Simdega district hockey president Manoj Konbegi said they had registered a complaint with the power department over the issue but no action was taken due to which arrangements for the generator
were made in the village.
At the astroturf hockey stadium in Simdega players were seen dancing to the tunes of dhol and Mandar and congratulated each other.
In the quarter-finals, India defeated three-time Olympic champion Australia by 1-0. In the
semifinals, they will be taking on Argentina. (UNI)