Priyanka comes, luck does not

Prabhjot Singh

Tribune News Service

Bollywood star Priyanka Chopra who featured prominently in Dhak Dhak Go ad urging people to come and watch India playing in the 12th World Cup here at last made her appearance but failed to bring any luck to the home team.

India lost its last match 2-4 to Argentina as Priyanka Chopra remained mobbed by her fans. Only this morning The Tribune had mentioned in its World Cup Diary that none of the Bollywood stars, cricketers and other prominent sports stars that featured in the Dhak Dhak Go pro had failed to keep their appointment with the Word Cup matches here.

Priyanka sat through the entire game. Meanwhile, the Union Sports Minister Dr MS Gill reiterated that elections to the Hockey India will be free, fair and held in a transparent manner as the Ministry has assured the International Hockey Federation chief, Leandro Negre that an independent presiding officer will conduct the elections to be held by secret ballot.

Talking to a select group of newsmen here this afternoon, he revealed that he has impressed upon Leandro Negre that since more than 50 per cent of the revenue of the International Federation comes from India, the country should be adequately represented on its referral and management committee.

He ruled out that anyone from the ad hoc committee or the Indian Olympic Association would be allowed to be associated with the conduct and supervision of elections.

Same, he said, was true for Pakistan as these two countries of the subcontinent were the major hockey playing nations who generate enough revenue for the sport. Hockey has changed and India and Pakistan have to keep pace with other major hockey playing nations. The union Ministry of Sports was keen to have at least 50 synthetic surfaces throughout the country while countries like Australia and the Netherlands have almost 500 synthetic surfaces each.

Another significant announcement made by MS Gill was about the coach. Expressing satisfaction over the performance of the players and the coach, he said everyone has done its best. The Sports Minister said that in spite of security concerns, holding of the World Cup has been successful and even the FIH chief has expressed his compete satisfaction over the facilities.