PM Modi Praises PR Sreejesh for His Hockey Achievements and Family’s Sacrifices
New Delhi [India], September 11: Former Indian hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh has expressed deep gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for recognizing the immense sacrifices made by his family to enable his on-field exploits. Recently, Sreejesh received a heartfelt letter from PM Modi congratulating him on his bronze medal win at the Paris Olympics and his retirement from international hockey.
In his letter, Prime Minister Modi praised Sreejesh for his ‘monumental contributions’ to Indian hockey and his ‘quick reflexes, sharp instincts, and calm confidence under pressure.’ The PM also expressed his confidence in Sreejesh’s ability to succeed as the Head Coach of the Junior Men’s team. PM Modi added, ‘I also send my wishes to your family for the immense sacrifices they made off the field to enable your on-field exploits. It was a pleasant experience meeting them along with you a few days ago.’
In his tweet, Sreejesh thanked the Prime Minister for his kind words and encouragement. He wrote, ‘Hockey is my life and I’ll continue to serve the game and work towards making India a power in hockey, the start of which has been made with the 2020, 2024 Olympic medals. Thank You PM Sir for your faith in me.’
Sreejesh was also the star of the bronze medal match against Spain at the Paris Olympics, pulling out some memorable and stunning saves. A veteran of over 300 international caps, three Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and World Cups, Sreejesh featured in his fourth Olympic Games.
Having made his debut at the 2010 World Cup, Sreejesh has been part of various memorable wins for India, which include a gold medal in the 2014 Asian Games, a bronze medal in Jakarta-Palembang, the joint-winning team of the Asian Champions Trophy in 2018, the gold medal-winning team of the 2019 FIH Men’s Series Finals in Bhubaneswar, and the silver medal-winning team at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
At the Paris Olympics, the Harmanpreet Singh-led side secured a historic bronze medal, defeating Spain 2-1, marking their second consecutive Olympic medal, an achievement last accomplished 52 years ago. The match, held at the Yves-du-Manoir Stadium, was especially significant as it also served as the farewell game for legendary Indian goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, who played his last international match.
Doubts Revealed
PM Modi -: PM Modi is the Prime Minister of India. His full name is Narendra Modi, and he is the leader of the country.
PR Sreejesh -: PR Sreejesh is a famous Indian hockey player who used to be the goalkeeper for the Indian national team. He has played many important matches for India.
Hockey -: Hockey is a sport where players use sticks to hit a ball into the opponent’s goal. It is very popular in India.
Bronze medal -: A bronze medal is a prize given to the third-place winner in a competition. Sreejesh won this medal at the Paris Olympics.
Paris Olympics -: The Paris Olympics is a big sports event that happens every four years where athletes from all over the world compete. The next one will be held in Paris, France.
Retirement -: Retirement means stopping work or a career after a long time. Sreejesh has decided to stop playing hockey professionally.
Head Coach -: A Head Coach is the main person who trains and guides a sports team. Sreejesh will now be the Head Coach of the Junior Men’s hockey team.
International caps -: International caps are awards given to players each time they play in an international match. Sreejesh has played over 300 such matches.
