Vikram Ditya Sharma/Ferozepur
At a time when this border district is striving to reclaim its rich sporting legacy, a young hockey player from a border village has given the district a reason to celebrate. Rashmeen Kaur Handa, a resident of village Jameetpur Dheru, has brought laurels to Ferozepur by representing India at the Under-18 Women’s Hockey Asia Cup held in Kakamigahara, Japan.
Rashmeen was part of the Indian team that secured the bronze medal after defeating South Korea 3-0 in the third-place playoff, adding another proud chapter to the district’s sporting history.
Sharing details, Manmeet Singh Rubal Hockey Coach and General Secretary Hockey Ferozepur Association said that Rashmeen played a pivotal role throughout the tournament as a midfielder. “Her speed, agility and game awareness stood out during the competition and earned appreciation from both spectators and hockey experts. Her contribution to the team’s campaign was significant and reflected the hard work and dedication she has put into the sport over the years”, said Rubal.
The achievement has sparked celebrations not only within her family but across the border district, where local sports enthusiasts see her success as a testament to the talent emerging from rural Punjab.
Dr Anirudh Gupta, President Ferozepur Hockey ASsocation described Rashmeen’s achievement as a source of inspiration for aspiring players. He said the journey of a player from a border district to the international arena sends a powerful message to young sportspersons that dedication and perseverance can help them achieve their dreams. He added that the association is making sustained efforts to restore Ferozepur’s former glory in hockey and produce more international players in the coming years.
Members of the Hockey Ferozepur Association, including Senior Vice President HFA and former DSO Harnarayan Singh Laddi, Joint Secretary Tejbir Singh, senior hockey player Jaspreet Singh, Maninder Handa, Gurpreet Singh, Karandeep Singh and Gursewak Singh, also congratulated Rashmeen on her achievement and expressed confidence that she would continue to excel at higher levels of the game.
It is pertinent to mention here that Ferozepur had been a nursery of international hockey players and has produced many hockey stalwarts including Olympians Harmeek Singh, Ajit Singh, Gagan Ajit Singh, Parvinder Singh Pindi and many others.
