Bhubaneswar

Following their bronze medal win at the Paris Olympics, the Indian men’s hockey team celebrated with a roadshow in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday. This marks the first time in 52 years that India has secured back-to-back bronze medals in hockey at the Olympics.

Led by Harmanpreet Singh, the team achieved a historic 2-1 victory over Spain to claim the bronze. Speaking to sources, Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey expressed gratitude to the Odisha government and Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi for their warm reception. Tirkey highlighted the exceptional welcome the team received, calling it a first for Indian hockey.

In recognition of their achievement, the Odisha government announced a cash reward of Rs 4 crore for Rohidas. Each player will receive Rs 15 lakh, and the support staff will get Rs 10 lakh each.

Under Coach Craig Fulton, the team made history with this back-to-back Olympic bronze. Harmanpreet Singh scored both goals for India (30′, 33′), while Marc Miralles (18′) was the sole scorer for Spain. Despite trailing 0-1 after the first quarter, the Indian team rallied to secure the win.

This achievement follows India’s consecutive bronze medals at the 1972 Munich Games. Harmanpreet Singh also emerged as the tournament’s top scorer, netting 10 goals. India finished 71st on the Paris Olympics medal tally, with the USA leading with 126 medals.