INDIA SECURES BRONZE IN TOKYO OLYMPICS MEN'S HOCKEY

 INDIA SECURES BRONZE MEDAL AFTER 1980 OLYMPICS IN HOCKEY . IT IS 41 YEARS AFTER THEY HAD WON BRONZE MEDAL IN OLYMPICS.INDIAN MEN'S HOCKEY TEAM MADE HISTORY ON AUG 5 WINNING BRONZE MEDAL IN TOKYO OLYMPICS MEN HOCKEY AFTER 41 YEARS . INDIAN TEAM SCORED 5 AS GERMANY SCORED 4 AS THE LAST MINUTE MATCH WAS AT THE EDGE OF THE SEAT. SIMRANJEET SINGH,HARMANPREET SINGH,HARDIK SINGH,AND RUPEENDAR PAL SINGH ARE THE GOAL SECURERS OF THE MATCH.INDIA ONCE DOMINATED ALLNATIONS GETTING GOLD TILL 1928 TO 1980 BUT FAILED TO WIN A SINGLE MEDAL SINCE 41 YEARS . THEIR LAST WAS WITH MOSCOW GAMES IN 1980.INDIA ARE THE CHAMPIONS OF THE YEARS 1928,1932,1936,1948,1952,1956,1964,1980.THIS IS THE INDIA'S  THIRD BRONZE MEDAL .OTHER TWO CAME FROM 1968 MEXICO AND 1972 MUNICH.

THIS WAS THE THIRD OLYMPICS APPEARANCE FOR INDIAN CAPTAIN AND GOALKEEPER PR SREEJESH . GERMANY IS THE MOST SUCCESSFUL TEAM OF HOCKEY NATION IN THE OLYMPICS AFTER INDIA WITH FOUR MEDALS.SINCE 1980 INDIA HAS FINISHED 6TH TO 18TH IN OLYMPICS EXCEPT 2008 WHEN THE TEAM DID NOT QUALIFY.HOCKEY REMAINS THE INDIA'S NATIONAL GAME BUT HAS SLIPPED IN THE  POPULARITY STATES BEHIND CRICKET WHICH CAN BOOST GLAMOUR AND RICHES.INDIA REMAINS THE ASIA'S TOP RANKING AND IS NOW THIRD RANKED IN THE WORLD BEHIND AUSTRALIA AND BELGIUM.EXCELLENT DISPLAY OF HOCKEY SKILLS BY THE INDIAN TEAM.THE WONDERFUL VICTORY WILL INSPIRE THE YOUTH TO PLAY AND EXCEL IN THIS EMERGING SPORT,"UNION MINISTER RAJNATH SINGH TWEETED SHORTLY AFTER THE WIN.