CM unveils trophy, mascot for men's Hockey Asia Cup
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Patna: CM Nitish Kumar on Sunday unveiled the trophy and authorised the 'Shubhankar Chand' (mascot) for the 10-day men's Hockey Asia Cup 2025, to be held at the Rajgir Sports Complex in Nalanda district from Aug 29 to Sept 9.
National teams from eight Asian countries will compete in the event.
The unveiling ceremony was organised at the Sankalp auditorium of the CM's official residence. While the Asia Cup 2025 marks the 12th edition of the men's hockey tournament, it is the first time the event will be hosted in Bihar at the Rajgir Sports Complex, which has facilities to stage international tournaments.
The eight national teams participating are India, China, Japan, Chinese Taipei, Malaysia, South Korea, Oman and Bangladesh.
South Korea has lifted the trophy a record five times while India and Pakistan have each won it three times. The tournament carries added significance, as the champion team will automatically qualify for the Hockey World Cup.
Following the unveiling, the CM also flagged off the Trophy Gaurav Yatra, which will travel through all 38 districts of Bihar and also cover Chennai, Chandigarh, Delhi, Odisha, Assam and Jharkhand.
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The objective is to generate enthusiasm among young people, promote a sporting culture and encourage public participation in the historic tournament being hosted in Bihar.
"It is a matter of pride for the people of the state that the tournament is being held here. This will not only establish the capacity of the state to host international tournaments, but also strengthen the global image of Bihar in the fields of tourism, sports and culture," Nitish said.
He also highlighted the modern training infrastructure and amenities at the Rajgir Sports Complex.
Former goalkeeper of Indian hockey team, P R Sreejesh, praised the keen interest of Bihar's people in hockey and observed that the state had been making notable progress under Nitish's leadership in sports as well. Hockey India president Bhola Nath Singh presented a memento to the CM on behalf of the federation. A short film on the Hero Asia Cup 2025 was also screened.
Those present on the occasion included deputy CM Samrat Chaudhary, sports minister Surendra Mehta, CM's principal secretary Deepak Kumar, development commissioner Pratyaya Amrit, additional chief secretary of the sports department B Rajender, secretaries to the CM Anupam Kumar and Kumar Ravi and director general of Bihar State Sports Authority Ravindra Sharan, among others.
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