Hockey India names 48 players for senior women's national camp
New Delhi, May 26 : Hockey India on Saturday named 48 players for the senior women national camp to be held from May 28 to June 9 at the Sports Authority of India, Bengaluru ahead of a tour to Spain and the FIH Women's World Cup in London.
After ending their 5th Women's Asian Champions Trophy campaign with a silver medal, the Indian team will regroup for the training camp under chief coach Sjoerd Marijne on Monday.
The team will make use of this short preparatory camp that concludes on June 9 to assess their performance and work on the short comings ahead of the Spain tour that begins on June 10.
"We will use this camp to further improve our fitness and evaluate the Asian Champions Trophy performance. We will also continue to work closely with the psychologist to improve the mental skills both individually and the team," Marijne said in a statement.
The present national campers list includes goalkeepers Savita, Rajani Etimarpu, Swati, Chanchal, Sonal Minj and Jaspreet Kaur.
Defenders Deep Grace Ekka, Sunita Lakra, Sushila Chanu Phukhrambam, Gurjit Kaur, Rashmita Minz, Suman Devi Thoudam, Deepika, Neelu Dadiya, Mahima Choudhary, Kanika Raj, Manmeet Kaur, S.P. Kruthika, Nisha have been called up for the camp.
The list of midfielders include Nikki Pradhan, Monika, Lilima Minz, Namita Toppo, Neha Goyal, Udita, Manpreet Kaur, Jyoti, Ramwala Maitri, Anuja Singh, Anajali HR, Shyama Tidgam, Sonika, Puja Yadav and Karishma Yadav.
Forwards Rani, Lalremsiami, Navneet Kaur, Navjot Kaur, Rajwinder Kaur, Vandana Katariya, Anupa Barla, Priyanka Wankhede, Preeti Dubey, Reena Khokhar, Siddhi Singh, Leelavathy Mallamada, Soundarya Yendela and Birajani Ekka too will report to the camp on Monday.
"The girls have played quite a lot of matches over the past two months and we need to be careful with their work load to ensure they are fresh mentally and physically," stated Marijne.
National Campers List:
Goalkeepers: Savita, Rajani Etimarpu, Swati, Chanchal, Sonal Minj, Jaspreet Kaur.
Defenders: Deep Grace Ekka, Sunita Lakra, Sushila Chanu Phukhrambam, Gurjit Kaur, Rashmita Minz, Suman Devi Thoudam, Deepika, Neelu Dadiya, Mahima Choudhary, Kanika Raj, Manmeet Kaur, S.P. Kruthika, Nisha.
Midfielders: Nikki Pradhan, Monika, Lilima Minz, Namita Toppo, Neha Goyal, Udita, Manpreet Kaur, Jyoti, Ramwala Maitri, Anuja Singh, Anajali HR, Shyama Tidgam, Sonika, Puja Yadav, Karishma Yadav.
Forwards: Rani, Lalremsiami, Navneet Kaur, Navjot Kaur, Rajwinder Kaur, Vandana Katariya, Anupa Barla, Priyanka Wankhede, Preeti Dubey, Reena Khokhar, Siddhi Singh, Leelavathy Mallamada, Soundarya Yendela, Birajani Ekka.
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Kharge accuses PM Modi of terrorising political parties, people by misusing govt machinery
Chennai (PTI): Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday stepped up his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of "terrorising" political parties and people by misusing government machinery and central agencies to stifle the opposition.
Addressing a press conference in Chennai alongside AICC General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal, Kharge initially referred to the Prime Minister as a "terrorist" while criticising the AIADMK’s alliance with the BJP.
However, when pressed by reporters to clarify the context of the remark, the Congress chief stated he meant the Prime Minister was "terrorising" the democratic fabric of the country.
"He is terrorising people and political parties. I never said he is a terrorist (in the literal sense). Terrorising this... he is misusing his power and government machinery and abusing, malingering opposition parties," Kharge said.
The Congress chief alleged that the Election Commission has become an "extension of the BJP office" and accused the Prime Minister of violating the Model Code of Conduct in the final stages of the election campaign. He further claimed that central agencies like the CBI, ED, and Income Tax department were being deployed as tools of intimidation against political workers.
Kharge also hit out at the Centre over the Constitution Amendment Bill that sought to facilitate women's reservation by expanding the Lok Sabha and linking delimitation with it. He accused the Prime Minister of misleading the public by claiming the opposition defeated the Women's Reservation Bill, noting that it was passed in 2023 with unanimous support.
"If he truly intends to implement it, he can provide 33 per cent reservation to women within the existing 543 Lok Sabha seats. Why is he not giving it?" Kharge argued.
He warned that the government’s plan for delimitation would "punish" progressive states, particularly in South India, for their success in population control. "They intended to deny the democratic rights of South Indian states, North Eastern states, and progressive states. Modi and Shah want to punish these states for their progress," he said.
Reaffirming the strength of the DMK-Congress alliance, both Kharge and Venugopal dismissed reports of a rift between Rahul Gandhi and Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin, describing them as "like brothers."
Kharge reiterated the alliance's "key commitments" for the state, including Rs 2,000 monthly assistance for women and senior citizens, Rs 2,500 monthly for families for food security, and a promise to fill all government vacancies within 300 days.
He also criticised the Election Commission, alleging it was acting "like an extension of the BJP office" by failing to take note of what he termed the Prime Minister’s "violation of the model code of conduct”.
