Renowned hockey players to play in tourney at BHU

VARANASI: Several renowned hockey players would take part in the week-long East Zone Inter University Hockey (Men) Tournament starting from Friday (December 31) at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU).

The players include Chandan Kumar and Neeraj from Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith (MGKP) who have already represented the national team in under-21 category. Other renowned players are Asif (who has represented the country in under-20 category); Ram Kripal (under-21 category) from VBS Purvanchal University, Jaunpur; Manoj and Sandeep from the BHU.

Giving details of the tournament at a press conference on Thursday, vice-president, university sports board (USB), BHU, N N Singh said that the tournament would be played on knock-out-cum-league basis, and 16 teams from the east zone would participate in it.

The teams have been divided into four groups. The winner of each group would make it to All India Inter University Zonal Tournament, to be held in Mumbai next year.

The USB of the university is organising the tournament as a part of 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Pt Madan Mohan Malviya, the founder of BHU. D K Dureha, general secretary, USB, said that all the matches would be played at the newly made hockey ground near the amphitheatre (indoor stadium). He also added that videography of the matches would be done for the first time from quarter final stage (knock-out stage) to keep an eye on the behaviour of players during the matches.

Former captain of Indian hockey team Mohammed Shahid would inaugurate the tournament, while Olympian Rahul Singh would be present as the guest of honour on the occasion.

BHU vice-chancellor D P Singh would be the chief guest of the valedictory session of the tournament, that would conclude on January 6.