Amidst the presence of sea of flash lights and video cameras, Sahara India, the official sponsors of Team India, said Good Luck to the Indian team here in New Delhi. Indian teams takes up the home Challenge in the World Cup in nine days
Creating an opportunity for the media to interact with the ‘protected’ players, Sahara Chairman Subrato Roy motivated the Indian team to bring the trophy.
“They were my guests in 2003. There were problems between the coach and the team. I personally interacted with them, had one wonderful night with lot of fun. The team was united, and vowed me they will bring the medal, which they did”, recollected Roy.
Therefore my message to you all is, if you determine to do you can, its not individuals but the team that brings laurels”, he asserted.
The entire World Cup Indian team and the Development team that took part recently in the South Asian Federation Games were present.
Suresh Kalmadi, in his introductory speech, invited Subrato Roy to become the President of the Hockey India, which the latter politely turned down. “I won’t be doing justice to it, as I spend almost 18 hours in running my business’, was all the chief sponsor had to say in his reply
Subrato Roy also recollected his disappointment when the FIH turned down his offer of presenting 11 cars to Players, six to foreign teams and five to Indians when he sponsored the Indira Gandhi Gold Cup in 1995″
“They asked me to give the Federations money instead. I said no. My concern then, and now also, is players and don’t want to know how the Federations are run,” Roy said.
“I am ready to come and help hockey anytime, I am always available for hockey, its a fantastic game, our national game and our players are world class in terms of skills”, he added.
Suresh Kalmadi, who is co-convenor of the forthcoming World Cup, said he is ready to give tickets to all the former International players and journalists their association would want us to give tickets”.
Three women hockey players — Surinder Kaur, Mamta Kharab and Dipikamurthy – were also present on the occasion