The ice hockey eves from city beautiful, Chandigarh, won the silver medal in the national championships in which six teams participated. The women team of megacity of Delhi came third winning the bronze medal.
The first ever Karma Yeshe Khando best player award was given to two Spiti players, Thinley Bagmo from Kuling village and Rigzin Dolma from Shalkhar village.
Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting and Sports and Youth Affairs Anurag Singh Thakur, who could not make it to the closing ceremony, gave a virtual message to the players saying that the government is setting up the high- altitude Sports Centre with an Ice hockey rink at Kaza that would give better facilities to ice hockey players so that ice hockey teams would bring medals for India.
Congratulating the Ice Hockey Association of India and Lahaul-Spiti administration for organizing the Women's Ice Hockey Championship 2022 successfully, Thakur said the daughters got an opportunity to play and they would get better training to win medals for the country and the state. “Despite the lack of facilities in ice hockey, our sons and daughters have performed brilliantly”, he said.
He said it would be his endeavour that they will continuously improve the facilities so that they get good training.
Harjinder Singh Jindi, Secretary General, Ice Hockey Association of India, chief guest said India will create history by winning a medal in ice hockey in the Olympics. “Our daughters are no less than anyone”, he said.
ADM Spiti Mohan Dutt Sharma expressed special gratitude to the Ice Hockey Association of India saying they hope that the Winter Olympics will be held in Spiti in a few years so that tourism and economy here would get a new push.
They later gave medals and trophies to the winner, runners-up. Chandigarh team was awarded the medal by Commandant ITBP, 17th Battalion, Devendra Kumar and Jindi respectively.
Ice Hockey Association of Himachal Pradesh President, Abhay Dogra and General Secretary Rajat Malhotra honored the Delhi team with a bronze medal for securing the third position. All the players of six teams got certificates.
They were also honored Amit Belbal, Tsewang Gyalsan as coach, Noor Jehan, Chhewang Chuskit, Richin Dolma, Ashu, assistant referee Pranav Dogra, Abhimanyu, DP, local support staff of technical committee.
Nawang Lote, Sonam, Suldim, Angdui, Norbu, Badshah, Keshang, Sonam, Lobjang, Kesang were alos honoured. Tashi, Jaunty, KP, Gonpo Tsering, Chhawang Kesang, Kunga Norbu, Sonam Tashi, Sushil, Nawang Takpa, Sonam Tandup, Dogra Scout Kamal Negi, Tashi and his five-member team were also honoured for maintenance of the ice rink, who worked day and night in minus degree temperatures to make the games successful.
Head Kesang Rapchik and 33 members team of Public Works Department, three members of IPH, Nawang and his family for refreshment and lunch, all heads of departments were also felicitated to make the ice hockey games successful in the icy atmosphere.
