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Manpreet wants to move on from hockey World Cup disappointment

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New Delhi, Dec 29 (IANS) It could have been a glorious year for the Indian men’s hockey team but for their losses at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games where they finished fourth, settled for a bronze at the 18th Asian Games Jakarta-Palembang and exited the World Cup after a close 1-2 loss in the quarter-final.

The team’s silver lining was a gold medal at the Asian Champions Trophy in Muscat where they split the title with Pakistan and remained unbeaten in the tournament. The silver medal at the FIH Champions Trophy in Breda earlier in the year had helped the team improve their world ranking from No.6 to No.5.

While it’s been a little over two weeks since Belgium were crowned the new World Champions after they beat the Netherlands in a tense shootout, India skipper Manpreet Singh regrets not making use of the home support to reach the final four of the tournament, a result they had much desired.

“What Belgium has achieved over the years is quite remarkable and my hearty congratulations to them for winning the World title. As far as our performance is concerned, we (Indian team) are obviously disappointed and regret not using the home support to our advantage,” Manpreet said in a statement.

“We had topped the Pool and were very positive going into the quarter-final against the Netherlands. It was a close match and though personally I am very disappointed we lost in the quarters, I am proud of my team. We gave our best particularly the youngsters who were playing the World Cup for the first time,” he added.

The midfielder added that the exposure young players got at the event in Bhubaneswar will stand them in good stead for future tournaments.

“We had few players from the junior set-up who have been part of the senior core group for about two years. I am sure the exposure they gained at the World Cup will help them improve further,” he said.

The men’s team will begin the season with the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh, Malaysia in March and will also be preparing for the Olympic qualifiers.

“It is now important for us to move on from the disappointments of 2018. There are always lessons we learn from every tournament we play regardless of how the result went and this time too, we will meet as a unit when we report for national camp in February and discuss on the areas that need improvement,” he opined.

With the FIH Series Finals in June to be held in Bhubaneswar’s Kalinga Stadium, the team’s main focus for the year will be to win an Olympic qualification.

“The road to 2020 Olympic Games will be challenging and surely the ideal way to qualify would have been winning the Asian Games like we did in 2014. But that should not be a deterrent to our motivation.”

“We have a good setup, very talented pool of players with good international experience. We just need to remain focused,” the captain concluded.

–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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