For the first time in history, Bihar is in the limelight as the proud host of the Women’s Asian Champions Trophy 2024. The elite tournament was officially inaugurated by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday at the new Hockey Stadium at the Bihar Sports University Complex in Rajgir. Hockey India President Dilip Kumar Tirkey also attended the opening ceremony.
This match – with a high stake behind it, jointly organised by Hockey India, the Asian Hockey Federation and the Bihar government. It will be held till November 20, bringing together the best women’s hockey teams in Asia.
It was a spectacular inauguration, with sky-high fireworks lighting up the Rajgir evening and the carnival sounds of traditional music ringing out all across the stadium as the world turned its eyes to this rising sports hub. Bihar’s debut as a host for an international event of this caliber is an emphatic step forward towards paving a path for the state’s future role in the sporting arena around the world.
Banners and hoardings adorn the roads from the state capital, Patna, to almost all the cities in Bihar, emblazoned with the slogan “Hockey ka Parv, Bihar ka Garv.” Bihar is celebrating the tournament like a festival, giving locals a chance to bring to the forefront their rich culture and traditions.
India made a statement on the very first day of the tournament, going all out against Malaysia with a 4-0 win. In that light, Sangita Kumari scored two goals in 8′ and 55′, while Preeti Dubey and Udita scored at 43′ and 44′. Much to the delight of the Indian side, it also lifted the cheers of the crowd. Under coach Harendra Singh, the team, though not an aggressive attacking unit, has shown to have displayed attacking flair and defensive tenacity, which in result gave them a performance that won over the hearts of the fans, as well as test their skill and will.
This victory proved fairly important for India’s women hockey squad too, who had narrowly failed to qualify for the Paris Olympics, finishing a history-making fourth at the Tokyo Games. Singh’s team apparently overcame some of their previous jousts with goal-scoring as they cashed in all their opportunity and set a decisive tone for the remaining part of the tournament.
Beside the defending champion India, the lineup includes a host of powerhouses like China, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, and Thailand. Over 20 matches will be played in the battle for this title wherein every team strives to achieve the topmost position and India is eagerly working to retain the title.
The national anthems of all six nations were played in the stadium, adding to the festive atmosphere and underlining the shared camaraderie of international competition. CM Nitish Kumar joined team captains for a group photo that symbolized unity and celebrated the diversity of the tournament.
Following its excellent opener, the side will play South Korea on November 12, Thailand on November 14, and China on November 16. The final match of the pool stage against Japan on November 17 promises to be something to look out for as the intensity increases with each match and fans await the in-land journey that India will take to possible conquer the gold.
More than being a celebration of hockey, the inauguration brought new athletic facilities-the other addition being an athlete track and a football ground within the sports complex at Rajgir-which is the first step in Bihar’s endeavor towards sports excellence and grooming of young talent on its way to becoming great champions. Bihar and its people have taken center stage in hosting this major international event.
The newly built Hockey Stadium in the historic city of Rajgir is a sports complex that is designed to eventually have preparatory facilities and training for 25 different games like hockey, football, kabaddi, volleyball, swimming, and wrestling, among others.
The first completed in the complex has nearly a seating capacity for 10,000 spectators in tiered stands. The big-ticket take-away, however, is the Sports University, still an on-going work. Once completed, it will be a premier sports education hub, modeled on the lines of the National Institute of Sports in Patiala. It is going to offer exclusive courses in sports psychology, coaching for various games, and physical education in Bihar-committing to the encouragement of athletic talent and academic excellence in sporting talent.
Nalanda Police were on-site to ensure smooth operations throughout the event, prioritizing safety and maintaining order. Their presence aimed to prevent any unforeseen incidents and support a secure environment for all attendees.
