New Delhi. The city of Udaipur erupted in celebration as the Indian lacrosse teams returned victorious from the Asian Lacrosse Games held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where both the men’s and women’s teams clinched gold medals, marking a historic achievement.
Local tribal players who represented the nation on the international stage were accorded a grand and dignified welcome by citizens. The city resonated with patriotic slogans, the beats of drums, and showers of flowers as the players were honoured across every corner of Udaipur.
Upon arrival by bus from Mumbai at Maharana Pratap Sports Village, the Indian women’s team captain Sunita Meena, along with players Jula Kumari Gurjar, Meera Dauja, Yashistha Batra, Dali Gameti, Roshni Bose, Mukan Kumari Gurjar, and Janvi Rathore, and the men’s team players Mohanlal Gameti, Khumaram Gameti, Dayashankar Gameti, Narayannal Gameti, and Nishant Nagda, accompanied by coach Neeraj Batra, were welcomed with flower garlands and cheers by family members, local residents, sports organisation representatives, Shradha Murdia—the founder of Kashti Foundation—and numerous sports enthusiasts.
Following this, the players took part in a massive rally from Maharana Pratap Sports Village to Gopeshwar Mahadev temple near the RTO office, where they offered prayers for continued success for the country, state, and their team. The procession was filled with patriotic chants and melodies, with participants dancing and singing along the route.
A grand felicitation ceremony was then held at Punjabi Bagh Garden, led by senior citizen Ashok Sharma. The mothers and sisters of the players performed an aarti, praying for the athletes’ long life, good health, and bright future. The ceremony venue was adorned with flowers, national flags, and an atmosphere of jubilation.
The gold medal-winning players later visited the Divisional Commissioner’s office, where Udaipur Divisional Commissioner Pragya Kevelramani, a promoter of lacrosse, honoured them by presenting shawls, dupattas, and bouquets. She extended best wishes for greater achievements at forthcoming national and international events. The players’ families and villagers expressed their gratitude to the commissioner for supporting lacrosse by providing practice grounds, sponsorships, and facilitating the players’ progress to national and international platforms.
Commissioner of Tribal Regional Development Department Kanhaiyalal Swami was also present and was thanked for his efforts in providing hostel facilities to the players.
The players then proceeded to Rampura Chowk, where a large gathering of sports fans showered them with flowers in appreciation. From there, the grand procession moved to Gram Panchayat Dhar, where the villagers celebrated with fireworks and lifted the winning players on their shoulders, parading them through the village. The entire region was filled with a spirit of patriotism and pride.
During an international music festival organised by the Udaipur administration at Gandhi Ground, hundreds in attendance greeted the victorious players with thunderous chants of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” and “India-India.” Udaipur Municipal Commissioner Abhishek Khanna also congratulated the players and wished them a bright future.
This unprecedented honour and public support instilled immense pride in the players, boosting their confidence and morale to new heights. Their golden success is set to inspire generations to come.
