Anurag Thakur unveils Trophy for the Hero Asian Champions Trophy Chennai 2023 

Hon’ble Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports and Minister of Information & Broadcasting, Shri Anurag Thakur unveiling Trophy with Hockey India President Dr. Dilip Kumar Tirkey, Hockey India Secretary General Shri Bhola Nath Singh, Hockey India Treasurer and President Hockey Unit Tamil Nadu (Host State) Shri Sekar Manoharan and Shri Kalyan Chaubey, Joint Secretary & CEO Indian Olympic Association with some prominent former International hockey players and Olympians Harbinder Singh, Ashok Diwan, Zafar Iqbal, HJS Chimni, Jagbir Singh and Vineet Kumar.

Rakesh Thapliyal 

New Delhi: Hockey India on Thursday hosted a grand unveiling event of the Trophy for the highly anticipated Hero Asian Champions Trophy Chennai 2023. The elite event took place at the Major Dhyanchand National Stadium in New Delhi and it witnessed the Hon’ble Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports and Minister of Information & Broadcasting, Shri Anurag Thakur, unveil the coveted Trophy for the forthcoming event starting 3rd August where India, Korea, Malaysia, Japan, Pakistan, and China will vie for the Title.

The trophy unveiling event turned out to be a spectacular celebration of Asian hockey, featuring a vibrant program and attended by distinguished guests including, Shri Anurag Thakur, Hockey India President Padmashri Dr. Dilip Kumar Tirkey, Hockey India Secretary General Shri Bhola Nath Singh, and Hockey India Treasurer and President Hockey Unit and Tamil Nadu (Host State) Shri Sekar Manoharan and Shri Kalyan Chaubey, Joint Secretary & CEO Indian Olympic Association. Moreover, some prominent former International hockey players and Olympians including the likes of Harbinder Singh, Ashok Diwan, Zafar Iqbal, HJS Chimni, Jagbir  Singh and Vineet Kumar also graced the occasion with their presence.

Hon’ble Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports and Minister of Information & Broadcasting, Shri Anurag Singh Thakur during pass the ball campaign with Zafar Iqbal.

The ‘Pass the Ball’ campaign was launched during the event and it saw Shri Anurag Thakur dribbling a hockey ball with a hockey stick and passing it to Indian Hockey Legend Shri Zafar Iqbal.

Furthermore, the event served as a prelude to the various promotional activities planned throughout the Pass the Ball and Trophy Tour, as the trophy travels across multiple cities including Delhi, Chandigarh, Guwahati, Patna, Bhubaneswar, Ranchi, Bangalore, Trivandrum and host city Chennai, before visiting districts throughout the state of Tamil Nadu. The Pass the Ball and Trophy Tour aims to create an electrifying atmosphere, building anticipation among hockey fans and driving support for the Indian Men’s Hockey Team.

Interestingly, the Asian Champions Trophy, which is produced by acclaimed trophy designer Sanjay Sharma, is handcrafted with care from a harmonious combination of brass, aluminium, and copper that has been elegantly plated with nickel and gold. Each crystal adorning the crown, as well as its exquisite design, was custom-made for the prestigious trophy, adding a one-of-a-kind touch to its grandeur.

Speaking on the occasion, Hon’ble Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports and Minister of Information & Broadcasting, Shri Anurag Thakur said, “Hero Asian Champions Trophy Chennai 2023 will take place in Chennai, India. I congratulate Hockey India for hosting the prestigious tournament for the first time. India have won the Asian Champions Trophy thrice in the past. And now, we can create history by winning it for the record fourth-time this year. Indian Men’s Hockey Team have to perform brilliantly to win the beautiful trophy. I also congratulate Hockey India for organising the trophy tour. The trophy tour is an important step because it creates excitement, awareness and invite young players to see the trophy and have the dream to one day, play for India. We will give best hospitality to all the visiting nations and may the best team win.”

Shri Anurag Thakur called young hockey players on the stage and asked them and other youngsters to learn something from former players present at the function. These young hockey  players were part of ‘One Thousand Hockey Legs’, an NGO founded by hockey historian K. Arumugam, One Thousand Hockey Legs, introduced hockey to at least 500 underprivileged kids in schools. The only hockey NGO in India, has successfully introduced hockey teams in 80 schools across five cities in India since 2008. It is the major private effort at grassroot level.

Speaking about the event, Hockey India President Padmashri Dr. Dilip Kumar Tirkey said, “Hockey India is thrilled to unveil the Trophy for the Asian Champions Trophy Hockey 2023. This event marks an exciting milestone in our journey towards hosting a world-class tournament that showcases the best of Asian hockey. The nationwide Pass the Ball and Trophy Tour will help create awareness about the event and invoke youngsters’ love for the game. It will also serve as a testament to the passion and skill of our athletes and the growing popularity of the sport in our country.”

Hockey India Secretary General Shri Bhola Nath Singh also expressed his views on the event and said, “I am delighted to witness the grand unveiling of the prestigious Asian Champions Trophy. This trophy represents the pinnacle of achievement in Asian hockey and symbolizes the dreams, hard work, and dedication of our players. It will be an inspiration for the participating teams and a coveted prize that every nation will strive to lift.”

 Men’s Asian Champions Trophy Chennai 2023 will be live on Star Sports, Disney +Hotstar. It will also be live streamed on watch.hockey for viewing outside of India.