New Delhi: Second Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh Memorial International Hockey Tournament was held at Astro Turf Hockey Ground, 3 Base Repair Depot, Air Force, Chandigarh from 15th April to 25th April 2019.
A Total of 16 teams participated in this tournament. Apart from the elite Indian teams, Air Force teams from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka also participated in this edition, making it truly an international event.
The opening ceremony of the event was held on 16 Apr 19. Air Marshal RKS Shera AVSM VSM, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Maintenance Command was the Chief Guest for the Ceremony.
Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa PVSM AVSM YSM VM ADC, Chief of the Air Staff was the Chief Guest for the Closing Ceremony. The final match was played today between Integrated Coach Factory, Chennai and South Central Railway, Hyderabad.
In a nail biting finish, SCR, Hyderabad was leading 2-1, when, ICF, Chennai came back into the match levelling the score with a scintillating goal scored by Deepak in the 60th minute. ICF, Chennai won the match defeating SCR, Hyderabad in the Penalty Shootout round by 7-6. Mohit, Sanjay and Deepak scored 02 goals each while Shyam Kumar scored 01 goal for ICF, Chennai. For SCR, Hyderabad, Sheshe Gowda, Raju Pal and Ayush Dwivedi scored 03, 02 and 01 goal respectively.
Deepak of ICF, Chennai had been adjudged the best player of the tournament. A total of 31 matches were played in the tournament wherein 202 Goals have been scored.
CAS awarded the coveted trophy to the winners. He also felicitated the runners-up team and the members of the organising committee. Colonel GS Gill, Former Indian international Hockey player, Harpal Singh, International hockey player, Group Captain R K Raksha, Former Services hockey player and Secretary Services Sports Control Board and Colonel Balbir Singh who represented India in the 1966 Asian Games and 1968 Olympics were also felicitated.
