Recently, a breeze of women hockey swayed the shores of Kolkata. A Six-a-Side tournament was organized by the women enthusiasts, which had the support of Kolkata Police and Bharani, a NGO headed by Bharti Divgikar.
The first match was played between the seasoned Bengal team with the sprightly but inexperienced Assam. Bengal won 6-1. In the next match the Kolkata team could not realize what hit them and the scoreline at the final whistle read 14-0 for UP. The well built UP girls played scintillating hockey. In the third match, Bhilai Steel Plant routed Assam 23-2. The experienced Bhilai girls led by the veteran Rajni Sanger simply proved too much for their rivals.
On second day, the Orissa girls from Rourkela beat Kolkata 6-3 and the Bhilai Steel Plant beat Bengal 6-1. The third match was an exhibition match between schoolgirls of Durgapur and the Childrens’ Welfare Home, Elliot Road, Kolkata. It produced a surprising display of clean and skilful hockey from both sides, ending in 2-2 draw.
On the 27th, the final day, those present included the great Olympian Leslie Claudius and Bir Bahadur Chhetri and former Bengal stalwarts like Mushahid Hussain, Peter Hooper and Sonia John, who represented Bengal half a century ago.
The first semifinal was between Orissa and Bhilai Steel Plant. Rasjni Sanger, Roshni Ashok Upale and Afsana Khan tore the Orissa defence apart to shreds (9-0). The skilled Orissa girls looked listless and tired. In the second semifinal Bengal went into the attack ab initio and scored through experienced Pupen Cecilia Kujur. UP managed to find the equalizer in the 8th minute of the second half through Priyanka Singh. By then the Bengal veterans were tiring and there was nothing to stop UP from scoring 6 more goals. Priyanka Singh scored a hat-trick. Puja Singh scored a brace and Priti Dubey and Garima Singh scored apiece.
An exhibition match between the Howrah Hockey Training center coached by the NIS coach Dipendu Nag and the Childrens’ Welfare Home (coach Inderjit Singh) followed. The latter won (9-0). This was followed by a yoga demonstration by the children of the Children Welfare Home.
The final UP Vs Bhilai Steel Plant. Both teams displayed classic Indian attacking hockey. Garima Singh put UP into the lead (8th min) adding another three minutes later. Priyanka Singh scored a brace in successive minutes. SK Shanaz scored for Bhilai Steel Plant (4-1). Just before half time Garima Singh missed a penalty stroke. Garima Singh comleted her hat-trick in the second half (5-1). UP emerged as the team champions. Garima Singh won the best player award as well as the top scorer trophy.
The opening ceremony on 25th March, saw the graceful presence of Olympian Gurbux Singh, S Subramaniam Commissioner of Customs, Jose Ramirez Baretto, the Brazilian striker for Mohun Bagan, and Bernard A Operanozie, former Nigerian footballer for Mohun Bagan.
Those behind the organization of the event include Paramjit(Rani) Kaur Bhattacharya, Minoti (Panchu) Ray, Shanti Mallick (also a legendary footballer and an Arjuna Award winner in 1983) Sikha Sen, Sharon Goodsall, June Jackson, Anna Britto, and Sadhana Chakraborty and others.
Earlier, in October 2011, the same Association had organized a 5-a-side indoor hockey tournament at the Kshudiram Anushilan Kendra, Kolkata.
