Sudeep Pakrashi
Hockey Bengal is planning to introduce a franchise-based women’s league in Bengal. Sujit Bose, the state minister for the Department of Fire and Emergency Service and the president of Hockey Bengal, revealed that plans are to organize the league with six to eight teams. The matches are expected to be staged on the Astro-Turf at Dumurjola Sports Complex in Howrah.
“We will be the country’s first state to introduce a franchise-based women’s league. Considering plans so far, we will try to organize it either at the end of May or in June this year. A few city-based companies have expressed willingness to come forward with financial assistance to promote women’s hockey. Simultaneously, we will be requesting East Bengal and Mohun Bagan also to introduce women’s teams in the League,” said Bose while speaking to Parallel Sports during the occasion of Hockey Bengal’s 117th Foundation Day celebration program at the Hockey Bengal Maidan premises on Saturday.
Incidentally, Bose also divulged that in a bid to make promotion of the game in Bengal, the state association will be initiating another Astro-Turf in the state where the competitive matches at the grass-route level will be held. Bose added, “Unless we provide quality ground and infrastructure for the young promising players they cannot improve the standard of the game. So, I desire to lay an Astro-Turf on this Hockey Bengal’s Maidan ground to successfully run our coaching program with under-14 and under-16 boys and girls.”
Bose also announced that the newly-built Astro-Turf stadium with a capacity of around six thousand seats at the Salt Lake Stadium campus will be inaugurated with the prestigious Beighton Cup from 7th to 11th November.
However, legendary Olympian Gurbux Singh was also present at the function on the day. Thanking Hockey Bengal’s president and the association for their effort to promote the game in Bengal, was vocal when asked about the recent terrorist-attack on the tourists at Pahelgam. Singh, now 89 said, “I question about the security system at Pahelgam. How could such a popular and important tourist spot become completely without security?”
The young boys and girls, selected from different districts for Hockey Bengal’s forthcoming coaching programs were presented hockey sticks by the president and Gurbux Singh on the day.
