India stun South Korea, clinch maiden Women's Jr Asia Cup title
Kakamigahara (Japan) (PTI): India put up a collective show to stun four-time champions South Korea 2-1 and clinch their maiden Women's Junior Hockey Asia Cup here on Sunday.
Annu and Neelam scored for India while Park Seo Yeon was the lone goal scorer for Korea.
After a barren first quarter, India got going with a 22nd minute goal by Annu from a penalty corner.
Annu made amends for her miss in the semifinal against Japan, as she stepped up in style to beat the goalkeeper and give India the lead against the run of play.
South Korea took three minutes to bring it level when Park Seo Yeon struck from the right following a brilliant surge from the right.
Neelam struck powerfully to the low right of the South Korean goalkeeper to help India regain the lead in the 41st minute.
India held on to their slender lead in the third quarter to seal the issue.
South Korea had a lot of chances with India generously giving them PCs one after the other, but they failed to convert.
Before this, India's best-ever finish in the tournament was in 2012 edition in Bangkok when they entered the final of the continental showpiece for the first time, only to lose to China 2-5.
Indian captain Preeti who was named Player-of-the-Match said they had their strategy in place following a 1-1 draw against the Koreans in the round-robin stage.
"We were acutely aware of the specific areas we needed to excel in order to overcome the Koreans," Preeti said.
"The final match brought about a considerable amount of nerves. However, we knew that as a team we have to play our best game to achieve something special and that's exactly what we did. We are elated to make our nation proud," she added.
India started the game on an attacking note by winning a penalty corner in the opening minute of the game, but they failed to capitalise on it.
However, South Korea shifted the momentum in their favour by counter-attacking and controlling the possession.
They also won an early penalty corner but Neelam made a goal-line clearance to deny Korea from taking the lead. Despite both teams playing attacking game, the first quarter ended goalless.
South Korea stuck to their attacking approach in the second quarter as well thus pushing India on the backfoot.
Korea were also awarded quite a few penalty corners, however, India not only stood strong in defence to keep the opposition's attackers at bay, but also put Korea under pressure by taking the lead through Annu who calmly converted a penalty stroke.
However, India's lead didn't last long as Seoyeon scored the equaliser for South Korea through a well-placed shot from inside the D.
The second quarter didn't witness anymore goals as both teams went into the half-time break with the score levelled at 1-1.
The second-half of the match started with South Korea focused on keeping the possession, while the Indian team switched to counter-attacking and it paid off as Neelam brilliantly converted a penalty corner to put India in front as the third quarter ended with the score 2-1 in the favour of the Indian team.
In order to protect their lead, India shifted their focus on defending and controlling the tempo of the game by keeping possession in the fourth quarter, while, on the other hand, South Korea made some forced errors and misdirected passes in their desperation of finding an equaliser.
HI announces cash rewards
Hockey India has declared a cash prize of Rs 2 lakh for each player while the support staff will receive Rs 1 lakh for their splendid show.
India finished unbeaten in the tournament and also secured a spot in the Women's Junior World Cup 2023 slated in Chile later this year.
"We are filled with immense pride as the Indian Junior Women's team clinched their maiden Junior Asia Cup, leaving us all in awe.
"It will serve as a strong foundation for their upcoming challenge at the Junior World Cup later this year," Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey said.
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Deep societal faultlines persist despite 75 years of independence: Justice Ujjal Bhuyan
Judge cites denial of home to Muslim girl, opposition to Dalit women cooking mid-day meals
Hyderabad, February 23, 2026: Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan has said that despite repeated affirmations of constitutional morality by courts, deep societal faultlines rooted in caste and religious discrimination continue to shape everyday realities in India.
Speaking at a seminar on “Constitutional Morality and the Role of District Judiciary” organised by the Telangana Judges Association and the Telangana State Judicial Academy in Hyderabad, Justice Bhuyan reflected on the gap between constitutional ideals and social practices.
He cited a recent instance involving his daughter’s friend, a PhD scholar at a private university in Noida, who was denied accommodation in South Delhi after her surname revealed her Muslim identity. According to Justice Bhuyan, the landlady bluntly informed her that no accommodation was available once her religious background became known.
In another example from Odisha, he referred to resistance by some parents to the government’s mid-day meal programme because the food was prepared by Dalit women employed as cooks. He noted that some parents had objected aggressively and refused to allow their children to consume meals cooked by members of the Scheduled Caste community.
Describing these incidents as “the tip of the iceberg,” Justice Bhuyan said they reveal how far society remains from the benchmark of constitutional morality even 75 years into the Republic. He observed that while the Constitution lays down standards of equality and dignity, the morality practised within homes and communities often diverges sharply from those values.
He emphasised that constitutional morality requires governance through the rule of law rather than the rule of popular opinion. Referring to the evolution of the doctrine through judicial decisions, he cited Naz Foundation v Union of India, in which the Delhi High Court read down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, holding that popular morality cannot restrict fundamental rights under Article 21. Though the judgment was later overturned in Suresh Kumar Koushal v Naz Foundation, the Supreme Court ultimately restored and expanded the principle in Navtej Singh Johar v Union of India, affirming that constitutional morality must prevail over majoritarian views.
“In our constitutional scheme, it is the constitutionality of the issue before the court that is relevant, not the dominant or popular view,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also addressed the functioning of the district judiciary, underlining that trial courts are the first point of contact for most litigants and form the foundation of the justice delivery system. He stressed that due importance must be given to the recording of evidence and adjudication of bail matters.
Highlighting the role of High Courts, he said their supervisory jurisdiction under Article 227 of the Constitution is intended as a shield to correct grave jurisdictional errors, not as a mechanism to substitute the discretion or factual appreciation of trial judges.
He recalled that several distinguished judges, including Justice H R Khanna, Justice A M Ahmadi, and Justice Fathima Beevi, began their careers in the district judiciary.
On representation within the judicial system, Justice Bhuyan noted that Telangana has made significant strides in gender inclusion. Out of a sanctioned strength of 655 judicial officers in the Telangana Judicial Service, 478 are currently serving, of whom 283 are women, exceeding 50 per cent representation. He added that members of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minority communities, and persons with disabilities are also represented in the state’s judiciary.
He observed that greater representation of women, marginalised communities, persons with disabilities, and sexual minorities would help make the judiciary more inclusive and reflective of India’s diversity. “The judiciary must represent all the colours of the rainbow and become a rainbow institution,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also referred to the recent restoration by the Supreme Court of the requirement of a minimum three years of practice at the Bar for entry-level judicial posts. While acknowledging that the requirement ensures practical exposure, he cautioned that its impact on women aspirants, especially those from rural or small-town backgrounds facing social and financial constraints, would need to be carefully observed over time.
Concluding his address, he reiterated that the justice system must strive to bridge the gap between constitutional ideals and lived realities, ensuring that the rule of law remains paramount.
