Nitish Kumar felicitated the Indian men’s hockey team, giving them Rs a 2.5 crore cash prize.

Patna, September 19, 2025: Nitish Kumar, the Chief Minister of Bihar, on Friday felicitated the victorious Indian men’s hockey team, which recently lifted the Hero Asia Cup 2025 in Rajgir.

A ceremony was held at the Chief Minister’s secretariat in Patna, where the players, coaches and support staff with the cash prizes and citations.

Nitish Kumar handed over Rs 10 lakh cash to each player:

Each player, head coach and assistant coach was awarded Rs 10 lakh, while members of the support staff received Rs 5 lakh each.

In total, a symbolic cheque of Rs 2.5 crore was handed over to team captain Harmanpreet Singh.

Congratulating the team, Nitish Kumar said, “This victory has made the nation and Bihar proud. May all players continue to shine and achieve greater success. Sports are not just a source of pride, but also of unity and inspiration.”

Nitish Kumar also posed for a group photograph with the team.

The Hero Asia Cup 2025, hosted at the Rajgir Sports Complex from August 29 to September 7, featured eight top Asian teams, including India, South Korea, Japan, China, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Chinese Taipei and Bangladesh.

India defeated South Korea in the final to claim the title.

Rajgir hosted the second consecutive Asia Cup hockey:

Earlier, Nitish Kumar had unveiled the tournament’s logo and mascot in Patna on August 17 and inaugurated the event in Rajgir on August 29.

This marks the second consecutive Asia Cup hosted in Rajgir, following the women’s edition earlier this year, for which the team was felicitated with prize money by CM Nitish Kumar.

During the event, Hockey India General Secretary Bholanath Singh welcomed the Chief Minister with a memento.

Captain Harmanpreet Singh, thanking Nitish Kumar, said, “We are grateful for your love and encouragement. Bihar has shown immense passion for hockey, and under your leadership, the state is making remarkable progress.”

A documentary film on the successful organization of the Hero Asia Cup was also screened.

Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary, Vijay Kumar Sinha, cabinet ministers, senior bureaucrats, and the entire hockey squad with staff were present.

Also Read: Nitish Kumar awarded Rs. 10 lakh each to the Indian Women’s Hockey Team.

EOM.