Zillar Barta Desk, Ranchi : Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Sunday met Indian women’s hockey team captain Salima Tete and three other Jharkhand players at his residence in Ranchi, following India’s historic gold-medal triumph at the 2026 Asian Games. The meeting was held at the Chief Minister’s residential office, where Soren congratulated the players and praised their contribution to Indian hockey.
The players who met the Chief Minister included captain Salima Tete, defender Nikki Pradhan, and forwards Beauty Dungdung and Deepika Soreng. All four players are from Jharkhand and were part of the Indian women’s hockey team that secured the Asian Games gold medal.
The meeting came shortly after the players returned to Ranchi from the Asian Games. They received a warm welcome at Birsa Munda Airport, where family members, hockey officials, coaches, former players and supporters gathered to celebrate their achievement. Traditional drums were played and supporters raised slogans celebrating the Jharkhand players and the Indian team.
At his residence, Soren enquired about the team’s preparation for the tournament and listened to the players’ experiences during their campaign. He congratulated them on their performance and offered sweets to celebrate their success. The players were also honoured with traditional angavastras.
Soren described the achievement of Jharkhand’s players as a matter of pride and honour for both the state and the country. He said their talent, hard work, discipline and determination had helped bring greater recognition to India and added another important chapter to Jharkhand’s sporting history.
The Chief Minister also emphasised the wider significance of the players’ success. According to the Chief Minister’s Office, he said their achievement would inspire young people and athletes, particularly girls in Jharkhand, to take up sports and pursue excellence at the national and international levels.
Soren further said that the Jharkhand government was working to identify and nurture sporting talent in the state. The meeting therefore also served as an opportunity to highlight the importance of developing a strong sporting ecosystem and providing encouragement to young athletes.
For Salima Tete, the meeting was another moment of recognition following a memorable Asian Games campaign. Speaking after meeting the Chief Minister, the Indian captain said that whenever Jharkhand players return with medals, Soren meets them and boosts their morale. She said such encouragement motivates the players to work harder and perform better in future competitions.
Tete also spoke about India’s victory over China in the Asian Games final. India defeated China 1-0 to win the women’s hockey gold medal. The victory was particularly significant because China had previously defeated India in the semi-final stage of the tournament. Tete said the Indian team was determined to overcome that setback and enter the final with the objective of winning the gold.
The Indian team took an early lead in the final and then concentrated on defending it until the final whistle. The result ended a long wait for India in women’s hockey at the Asian Games and secured the team’s qualification for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
The contribution of Jharkhand’s players has been particularly notable. Salima Tete has emerged as a key figure in Indian women’s hockey, while Nikki Pradhan brings extensive international experience. Youngsters Beauty Dungdung and Deepika Soreng have also gained valuable experience playing alongside senior members of the squad.
Deepika Soreng said that playing alongside senior players had been an important learning experience. She highlighted the support provided by experienced members of the team and said the combination of senior players and younger talent had helped the squad maintain unity and confidence.
Beauty Dungdung similarly underlined the importance of learning from the senior players. The interaction between experienced campaigners and younger athletes has become an important feature of the team as India begins preparations for the next Olympic cycle.
Nikki Pradhan said the Chief Minister encouraged the players to continue improving their performances and assured them of the state government’s support. The players now have the opportunity to build on their Asian Games success as they look ahead to future international competitions and the 2028 Olympics.
Jharkhand’s connection with Indian women’s hockey has once again come into focus following the Asian Games triumph. The homecoming of Salima Tete, Nikki Pradhan, Beauty Dungdung and Deepika Soreng was marked by celebrations in Ranchi, with supporters welcoming the players as sporting heroes.
The meeting with Hemant Soren further highlighted the state’s pride in its athletes. For the players, the reception in Ranchi provided an emotional conclusion to their gold-medal campaign, while for young athletes across Jharkhand, their success offered an example of how dedication, discipline and sustained training can lead to opportunities on the international stage.
With India now qualified for the 2028 Olympics, attention will turn towards maintaining the momentum generated by the Asian Games victory. For Salima Tete and her Jharkhand teammates, the challenge will be to carry forward the confidence gained from the gold-medal campaign and continue contributing to the growth of Indian women’s hockey on the world stage.
