by K. Arumugam

The Indian Hockey Confederation announced the revival of the Indira Gandhi International Gold Cup tournament with the launch of the new logo last week.

The seventh edition of the six-nation event will be held in New Delhi next month and will feature Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Italy, Russia and host India.

The Indira Gold Cup, Asia’s only women hockey outing in the 80s, was held last in 1996 and was won after Australia defeated Korea in the final.

Mrs. Vidya Stokes, Chairman, Indian Hockey Confederation, launched the tournament last week at a gala function at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi, the venue where the tournament will be contested.

Leading Indian actress Mahima Choudhry has been appointed Women’s Hockey’s Brand Manager and released the new log for the event along with officials form the Indian Olympic Association and Indian Hockey Confederation.

“This is our major step towards projecting the image of women hockey on a different perspective. We have also entrusted a reputed event management company to carry out the task of organising the forthcoming Indira Gold Cup,” Stokes said.

“Our girls are a force to reckon with in the global arena. They are Commonwealth Games and Afro-Asian Games champions. They recently won a 4-Nation Cup in Singapore, defeating Korea. I wish the girls a good outing here next fortnight.”

She also praised chief coach M.K. Kaushik for putting the girls through the right drills to shape them as champions.

“Last year we won the Asia Cup for the first time, and it was because of his good work”.

“Hockey is not new to me. In my school at Darjeeling, we had many leading hockey players who inspired us to take the game of hockey. I am happy to associate myself with this traditional but vibrant game which brought many laurels to the country,” Choudhry recollected in her acceptance speech as Brand Ambassador.

“This time we aim to give a professional outlook to the whole concept of conducting this mega event. We want women hockey reach more segments of society and gets its potential share in the market”. She also expressed here happiness on good media response to IWHF initiatives,” Mrs. Amrit Bose, Secretary, IWHF, said.

Specially brought from Lucknow where the Indian camp is going on, goalkeeper-captain Helen Mary answered media queries with her characteristic clarity and confidence.

Recollecting the last Indira Gold Cup in which she played, she assured the gathering a good show.

”Anything can happen in sports, but don’t forget we defeated Australia in the league last time in the Indira Cup.”