Aakanksha N Bhardwaj

Aakanksha N Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, August 9

“We will welcome our sons with bhangra.” This is how parents plan to receive the hockey heroes upon their arrival at Mithapur village here on Wednesday. The men’s hockey team landed in New Delhi today after winning the bronze medal in the Tokyo Olympics.

The team received a grand welcome as a huge rush of admirers cheered for the players. Skipper Manpreet Singh called up mother Manjit Kaur and told her he was going straightaway to the hotel as there was a huge crowd. “I felt so proud to see admirers gather just to have a glimpse of the players,” she said.

Manpreet, Varun Kumar and Mandeep Singh hail from the village, where the families have planned a grand celebration upon their arrival.

A common celebration will be held where the players will be welcomed into the village amid drum beats and dancing. A lavish feast awaits them later.

The parents will first head to Amritsar to receive the players. An event to facilitate the players has been planned at the PAP. In the evening, they will reach Mithpaur and then the celebrations will begin.

Asked whether she had some special food planned for Manpreet, Manjit Kaur said: “I will prepare whatever he likes.” Varun’s family, on the other hand, has already decided on the menu. “There will be curry and paranthas. He has never been fussy about eating. But he loves these, so my wife will make his favourite food,” said his father Brahma Nand.

Mandeep’s father Ravinder Singh said his son rang him up to enquire if they would be there to receive him at the airport. “Why not, we are all ready, I told him,” said Ravinder, adding his relatives would reach the village in the morning.