Hockey India Announces ₹11 Lakh Reward After Asian Games Gold

Hockey India has announced a cash reward of ₹11 lakh for every player in the national women’s team and ₹5.5 lakh for each member of the support staff after their historic Asian Games gold-medal triumph in Japan.

India beat defending champions China 1-0 in the final, with Lalremsiami scoring the decisive goal. The victory delivered the women’s team their first Asian Games gold medal in 44 years and marked a landmark result for the squad.

The reward announcement recognises both the final victory and the significance of ending a long wait for the title. India’s previous women’s hockey gold medal at the Asian Games had come in the 1982 edition.

Reward for a landmark women’s hockey victory

Hockey India secretary general Bhola Nath Singh said each playing member of the Indian team would receive ₹11 lakh, while every support staff member would be awarded ₹5.5 lakh.

Singh described the performance as “stupendous” and highlighted the team’s ability to protect its advantage against a highly regarded Chinese side. China entered the final as the defending Asian Games champions, Olympic silver medallists and the world No. 4 team, according to the announcement.

“They showed guts and resilience to hold their one-goal advantage against the reigning Olympics silver medallist and world No. 4 China to create history after 44 years,” Singh said. “Hockey India is awarding them with cash rewards for their achievements.”

The financial recognition applies to the players who represented India and the support staff who worked with the side during the title-winning campaign. It follows a result that placed the team back on top of the Asian Games podium for the first time since 1982.

Lalremsiami’s 10th-minute goal settled the final

Lalremsiami provided the defining moment of the final with a reverse-stick strike in the 10th minute. Her goal put India 1-0 ahead against China and ultimately proved enough to decide the gold-medal match.

After taking the early lead, India produced what was described as a resolute defensive display to keep China from scoring. That one-goal margin stood through the remainder of the contest, sealing a historic win over the defending champions.

The final underlined the value of Lalremsiami’s early intervention, with her 10th-minute finish separating the teams. India’s defence then carried the side through the rest of the match as they held their narrow advantage.

For Hockey India, the announced awards reflect the scale of the achievement: a victory over China in the final, a first Asian Games gold in 44 years and a return to the top position achieved by the Indian women’s team in 1982.

The cash awards ensure that the players and support staff will receive formal recognition for a campaign capped by the 1-0 final win. Lalremsiami’s decisive strike and the team’s defence combined to produce one of the most significant results in the recent history of Indian women’s hockey.