A charismatic leader. An extraordinary midfielder. A resolute team player who refuses to give up. A prankster who loves to play jokes on his team mates! A man fond of latest gadgets and PlayStation. A Cristiano Ronaldo fanatic. A caring son and a loving husband.
One can pick any of the above traits to describe Indian hockey captain Manpreet Singh, but it is the conjuring image of him breaking into uncontrollable sobs at the Oi Hockey Stadium in Tokyo, Japan, on the afternoon of 5 August that will go down in Indian history as the most special and memorable one!
Manpreet’s mother, Manjit Kaur, is all praise for the hockey team.
“Manpreet has really worked hard. He used to go to the stadium sharp at 6 o’clock every morning and would return around 10,” Manjit Kaur told in an exclusive Interview to TrueScoop News.
As Manpreet Singh is returning back to his hometown, his mother told to Truescoop in an exclusive interview about the preparations going on at home for his grand welcome. She said, “We will go to receive him at the Amritsar airport. On reaching Jalandhar, we will visit PAP sports ground for felicitation ceremony.”
“Afterwards, we will be having a grand welcome party for him.” On asking about what food will be prepared at home for him, his mother said, “Manpreet is fond of eating aalo ki sabzi, kheer and Desi ghee k paranthe, so, all these things will be prepared at home. During the preparation for the Olympics, he was not eating all these things as he was paying special attention towards his diet and fitness. Now, it’s the time to enjoy all these delicacies.”
“We are also planning to visit Hazoor Sahib once Manpreet will return home. We prayed to Waheguru ji to take care of my son and made him bring laurels for the country. Now, it’s the time to complete our ‘Sukhna’. So, we will surely try to visit there,” stated Manpreet’s mother.
“I will hold 'Akhand Sahib path now. We will celebrate to the fullest. I have no words to express my happiness," she said, tears of joy flowing onto her cheeks.
On asking what he misses the most after winning the match, his mother replied, “Manpreet missed his father a lot on the day he won the match. I told him to be strong; his father’s blessings are always with him. No one can take his place. If he was alive today, he must be very proud of you.”
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“At last, I want to thank all the officials who have always encouraged my son. They have all made a special visit to our house and congratulated us personally. We are grateful to all the Jalandhar officials who have contributed in his journey,” shared Manpreet Singh’s mother.
Manpreet’s transition from a happy-go-lucky village boy to Indian hockey’s MVP (Most Valuable Player), has been exceptional. After making his India debut in 2011, he slowly made his way up and is today the most accomplished player in world hockey.