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Asiad 2018: Indian hockey eves blank China; to fight for gold

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Jakarta, Aug 29 (IANS) Ending a two-decade wait, a resilient Indian women’s hockey team stormed into the final of the 18th Asian Games after edging past World No.11 China 1-0 in the semi-final at the Gelora Bung Karno field here on Wednesday.

Inspired by Gurjit Kaur’s solitary goal in the 52nd minute, India ensured themselves of at least a silver when they face lower-ranked Japan in the final on Friday.

India had the opening chance of the match as Vandana Katariya and Navneet Kaur combined inside the striking circle but could not create a goal as China defended well.

In the 8th minute, Navneet won India their first Penalty Corner which was taken by Gurjit Kaur but her shot was deflected away by the first Chinese rusher.

India looked to have the upper hand in the first quarter and had another chance in the 13th minute as Monika’s pass from the right flank was converted into a shot by Navjot Kaur, but the Chinese goalkeeper Jiao Ye managed to clear the ball away as the scores remained 0-0 after the first period.

The start of the second quarter saw China produce some slick passing in the Indian striking circle which won them their first PC in the 18th minute but the resulting drag-flick was hit wide of the post.

China tried to create chances in the next few minutes but the Indian defence made sure that they eliminated the threat. The Chinese team tried to keep more possession as they grew into the match, but World No.9 India made sure that they pressed their opponents to win back possession.

The second quarter was a period of few chances for both the teams which meant that the scores remained level at 0-0 as the hooter signaled for the half-time break.

India started the third quarter by winning their second PC in the 31st minute. The resulting drag-flick was taken by Gurjit which saw her strike a fierce low shot towards the right side of goal which was saved by a Chinese defender.

India tried to strive forward to create more opportunities in the next few minutes but found it difficult to get inside the Chinese striking circle. The 39th minute saw India win their third PC of the match which was struck by Gurjit through a variation but went wide of the goalpost to keep the scores goalless.

India won themselves another PC in the 41st minute, however, Gurjit’s shot was stopped by the Chinese goalkeeper. India continued to dominate the contest and Reena Khokhar came close to scoring in the last minute of the quarter as she wriggled past three Chinese defenders to enter the striking circle and get a reverse shot away, which went just wide of the goalpost.

The Indians attacked the Chinese from the start of the fourth quarter as they looked for a goal. Captain Rani Rampal came close to scoring but her shot was deflected away by a Chinese stick.

With just nine minutes remaining on the clock, India had a chance again as Rani played a ball across the Chinese goal but could not open their account.

The 52nd minute finally saw India get the breakthrough as they won three consecutive PCs. China defended the first two executions well, but it was drag-flicker Gurjit who was successful on the third attempt as she struck the ball in the top right corner of the goal to give India a crucial lead.

The Indians kept possession of the ball in the final few minutes and made sure that they did not allow the Chinese any opportunities to equalise.

–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma

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World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.

Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.

During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.

On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”

Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.

It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.

Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.

Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”

On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”

The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.

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