JALANDHAR
The stage is set for the 40th Indian Oil Servo Surjit Hockey Tournament here at the local Olympian Surjit Hockey Stadium, Burlton Park from Wednesday, October 25.
The tournament will be inaugurated by Cabinet Minister Balkar Singh and the opening match will be played between Indian Navy Mumbai and FCI New Delhi.
Deputy Commissioner Vishesh Sarangal who is also the President of Surjit Hockey Society said that this tournament was held every year to keep the name of the former captain of the Indian hockey team, Olympian late Sardar Surjit Singh Randhawa alive who lost his life in a tragic car accident near Jalandhar on January 7, 1984.
Mr. Sarangal said that the 40th edition of the tournament would be played on a knockout-cum-league basis. Last year's champions Indian Railways New Delhi, Army-XI Delhi, and Punjab National Bank New Delhi have been placed in Pool B while last year's runners-up Indian Oil, Mumbai, former champions Punjab and Sind Bank New Delhi, and the Indian Air Force Delhi team has been seeded in Pool-B.
The two teams will qualify from the knockout stage from teams namely BSF Jalandhar, Punjab Police, Indian Navy Mumbai, CAG New Delhi and FCI New Delhi. The FCI New Delhi qualified from Surjit pre-qualifying round. The other teams in this round were CRPF, Delhi, Army (Green), Bangalore, RCF. Kapurthala, ITBP Chandigarh and CISF New Delhi.
The tournament committee has been expecting a large number of hockey spectators this year. Under the slogan “Watch Surjit Hockey--Win ALTO Car”, this year also Surjit Hockey Society also decided to award MARUTI ALTO Car along with other prizes like Refrigerators and LCDs, etc. to the spectators, who will come to witness the Surjit Hockey matches. The main idea is to attract and create more interest amongst the public in our national game of Hockey.
He also said that spectators would get daily lucky coupons till November 3, 2023, at the entry gate of the stadium while players will be issued the lucky coupons on the day of their first match. The lucky draw for the ALTO Cars and other prizes will be held on Nov. 3, 2023, soon after the final match.
The matches will be played under floodlights in the stadium and the entry of spectators will be free. All arrangements for living, transport, security, medical, etc. of the players and officials have been completed.
There will be a colorful cultural program on the final day of the tournament where popular Punjabi folk singer Babbu Maan will enthrall the audience before the final match starts at 4.00 p.m. on November 3.
Indian Oil Corporation Limited' will be the main title sponsor of the tournament while Gakhal Brothers of America will be the co-sponsor of the tournament.