Wednesday 25 / December / 2024
Muscat: Team Coorg Muscat and Ambassador’s XI emerged winners as Republic Day of India Hockey Festival, organised by Team Coorg Muscat and Friends of Naqvi Group, proved a grand success at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex last Friday.
The Festival was organised under the patronage of Indian Embassy and in coordination with Oman Hockey Association (OHA).
Indian Ambassador Indramani Pandey presided over the event. Sheikh Mahfoodh bin Ali Juma Al Juma, Chairman of Oman Hockey Association (OHA), Oman Cricket Board head Kanak Khimji were the guests of honour.
Aftab Patel, CEO of Al Omaniya Financial Services, and Nagesh Kelkar, Principal of Indian School Al Seeb (ISAS), also graced the occasion.
During the Festival, the organisers hosted two competitions — one for the Republic Day Cup and the other for Ambassador’s Cup.
In the first match of the Republic Day Cup, UTSC defeated Beatrice XI 1-0. The winners of that match took on Team Coorg Muscat, who were given a first round bye, for the title.
Team Coorg managed to get the better of UTSC to lift the trophy.
In the Ambassador’s Cup, the Ambassador’s XI edged Indian School Al Seeb to clinch the crown.
Special celebrations
The ninth edition of the Festival also saw a special ceremony to celebrate the recent presentation of Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) Lifetime Achievement Award to to SAS Naqvi.
During the ceremony, the organisers honoured OHA General Secretary Mohammed Redha Taqi Al Lawati, Technical Advisor Mohie Saad Al Zaghlool, Organising Committee member D.R. Bijlani, First Secretary and Head of Chancery at Embassy of India Amraram Gujjar, Organising Committee coordinator Osama Rawat. Threee Omani hockey officials Abdul Rahman Al Raisi, Mustafa and Hamood Al Wahaibi were also honoured.
