Latest news with #Dilpreet
Indian Express
a day ago
- Sport
- Indian Express
Hockey, FIH Pro League: Harmanpreet's men push World No 1 Netherlands, a 1-2 defeat will sting
In the final analysis, a close 1-2 defeat against a near full-strength world No 1 side in their own backyard is not the worst result. But the Indian men's hockey team will walk away from their FIH Pro League match against Netherlands at the Wagener Hockey Stadium, Amstelveen with a feeling of 'what if'. What if they played the entire match as well as they did in the first half? What if they had a little more attacking ambition in the second? And what if Harmanpreet Singh – who otherwise had a brilliant match – had not made a mistake in possession? Despite playing three quarters of the 60 minutes rather well, India had nothing to show for it on the Pro League points table – one where they hope to be high enough at the end of this daunting European leg, to earn World Cup qualification early. Harmanpreet's rocket of a drag flick gave India the lead in the 19th minute and they were the much better side till then. But the captain's defensive error and Thijs van Dam's superb finish in the 25th minute brought the Dutch back into the game at halftime. And the hosts' relentless late pressure eventually led to the winner in the 58th minute, with van Dam's remarkable reverse-hit finish breaking India's resolve. 'First match after so long, we did a great job for the first three quarters,' Harmanpreet said after the match. 'But you have to be perfect throughout, till the last minute, we need to keep in mind that defence is our first priority, so we need to improve our structure. With the ball, we are forcing it too much, we need to play with more control.' In the first couple of minutes, India kept the ball well, like coach Craig Fulton hoped to see. A long ball into the circle by Jarmanpreet Singh was beautifully killed-dead by Dilpreet Singh under defensive pressure and it required an expert last-ditch tackle from Jip Janssen to ensure the Indian forward didn't get his shot away. India missed a massive chance to go ahead in the 9th minute. High press from Shilanand Lakra and Dilpreet saw the visitors win the ball back in the Dutch circle, and from a one-on-one situation, Dilpreet couldn't get past a diving Maurits Visser and the Indian let out a cry of anguish. To India's credit, they controlled the middle of the park for a majority of the opening quarter, whether there was a press on or not. But for all the good work, Q1 finished goalless. Q2 was off to a much more open start with great chances for both teams. Floris Middendorp set up Steijn van Heijningen with a sharp pass into the circle that broke the Indian marking but Suraj Karkera was able to pull off a save. India had a chance down the other end too shortly after as Jarmanpreet made his way into the circle from down the right flank, collecting a wonder-pass from deep defence by Harmanpreet but Wisser was equal to the task once more. The breakthrough eventually came from an expected source for India. Dilpreet won the match's first penalty corner and up stepped the captain. With a low inside-out flick of sheer power, Wisser was beaten to his left by Harmanpreet's drag flick. A silly mistake from Sanjay in defence opened the door for the Dutch as they won their first PC of the match with five minutes to go in the half. But Suraj was up for the task to keep Janssen's shot away and the retake broke down from the injection. Another mistake shortly after, however, proved costly. Harmanpreet played himself into trouble just outside India's circle, getting caught in possession by van Heijningen, who fed van Dam. The No 7 cut inside, slipped but still managed to get the shot away while losing his balance. India lost their lead, and their one video review also to go with it. 'It's a soft goal to concede, it's Holland, if you make a mistake they will punish you,' Fulton said at half time. Both coaches spoke about making better decisions on the ball in the opponents' half as an area to improve. The Dutch pressure was starting to increase as van Dam found himself in space a few yards outside India's goal but he was tackled as he tried to turn the defender. India's attacking attempts were now starting to get limited to throwing hopeful long aerial balls into the circle. And then, with less than three minutes to go, came the telling blow. This wasn't necessarily off an Indian mistake but they invited too much pressure on their defence and with the quality that the Dutch possess, that was a recipe for defeat. Van Dam came up with a moment of magic, collecting a deflected ball into the circle, and from an upright position slammed a stunning reverse-hit finish past Suraj. Sometimes a magic moment is all it takes to win. Vinayakk Mohanarangan is Senior Assistant Editor and is based in New Delhi. ... Read More
Time of India
17-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Sangrur farmer to export ready-to-eat millets for health-conscious Canadians
Chandigarh: Having successfully exported nine millet types to Australia last year, a Sangrur-based grower is now targeting the health-conscious Punjabi diaspora in Canada with a new consignment of ready-to-eat millets ready for shipment next week. This expansion, fuelled by online visibility and positive word-of-mouth, also sees him catering to a growing local market of individuals and millet-biscuit factories. After returning from Australia five years ago, Dilpreet Singh, from Rajpura village in Sangrur, made a conscious shift from traditional wheat-paddy farming to millet cultivation. Setting his own standards, he adopted a chemical-free approach. "We have established complete end-to-end control over the value chain, handling primary and secondary processing, including international-quality packaging, within our own unit," he said. Embarking on millet exports wasn't without initial hurdles. The stringent Australian "nil germination" requirement necessitated the creation of a customised steaming plant on Dilpreet's farm. "Even the Punjab Agricultural University couldn't offer a solution," he recalled, emphasising a year of trial and error. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum – No Wallet Needed! IC Markets Start Now Undo Following the successful shipment of 14.3 tonnes to Australia last year, preparations are now underway for exports to Canada. Highlighting the diverse ways millets are consumed, he explained, "The Punjabi diaspora abroad typically uses Ragi, Jowar, and Bajra as flours, but South Indian communities prefer them as a rice alternative. As for me, I just had brown top millet cooked like rice for lunch." The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the United Nations recognised 2023 as the International Year of Millets (IYM2023) to raise awareness about the health, nutritional, and environmental benefits of millets. Dilpreet lamented that the state govt can do a lot more in supporting millet cultivation. "Markfed, for instance, could easily integrate millets into their Sohna product line. Yet, they cite a lack of local supply and procure from Haryana. This leaves millet-growing farmers here without adequate buyers – a frustrating paradox," he said. Fluctuating prices in the local market pose another challenge. "During the International Year of Millets, brown top fetched Rs 85 per kg, only to plummet to Rs 28 per kg as raw material afterwards," Dilpreet explained. To counter this, he tried to carve out a niche by pre-soaking, dehydrating, and de-husking his millets, extending their shelf life to two years compared to the typical three months. "This value addition also enhances digestibility and imparts a pleasant aroma," he added. Dilpreet directly markets his homegrown millets online to health-conscious buyers and also supplies Markfed, Punjab Agro, millet restaurants, and millet-based biscuit factories. For his export ventures, including the upcoming consignment to Canada , he also sources millets from Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) in Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, in addition to those grown on his 14-acre farm.
