Hockey India has hosted a ‘good luck dinner’ for the Indian men and women teams ahead of their departures for the upcoming FIH World League Semi-Finals to be held in Antwerp, Belgium from June 20 to July 5.
During the occasion held on Saturday, HI also gave presented the players of both teams with caps, which has their own individual unique number inscribed on it that will stay with them for lifelong.
The numbers given to players are based on each player representing HI since the national federation’s inception in 2009.
While Gurbaj was the 13th player to have made it to the Indian men’s team so No. 13 was being given to him. Similarly Sardar Singh and Ritu Rani, being the captains of the present men and women teams, were bestowed with No. 1 as their Unique Cap Number.
Speaking on this initiative, HI president Narinder Batra said: “The idea behind this initiative of giving a unique number to each player was done keeping in mind that players across the world are very attached to their jersey numbers. Hence, we thought to give a permanent number to each player and it will stay with them for lifelong.”
Present at the dinner were 25 male and 24 female players, including both the 18-member squads of the men and women teams which will taking part in the World League Semi-finals.