Indian women’s hockey team forward Lalremsiami described her inclusion among the Arjuna Award recipients as a deep honour and said the recognition has motivated her to work harder for her country and team.
Speaking about the award, Lalremsiami said she felt “very blessed” when she heard the news. She also highlighted the challenges she faced while pursuing hockey, especially as the sport is not very popular in her hometown.
Lalremsiami revealed that hockey was not played at home and that she first picked up the sport at school. Initially, she never believed she could reach the highest level, but joining an academy gradually changed her journey.
She recalled that travelling to the academy was difficult because it was located far from her home. After joining the national academy, she also faced a language barrier as she did not know Hindi or English. However, she gradually learned both languages and continued progressing as a player.
Talking about the Indian team, Lalremsiami said the side is preparing well and wants to take things match by match. She stressed the importance of teamwork and urged the players to push and support each other.
As a senior and experienced player, Lalremsiami said the team must give its best together and continue working hard with a shared focus on representing the country.
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