"Congratulations, India Is Excited": Naveen Patnaik To Men's Hockey Team

The men's hockey team won India's first Olympic hockey medal in over four decades after gallantly holding off a late charge from the Germans

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik congratulated the men's hockey team this morning, after they beat Germany 5-4 in a nail-biting match to claim the bronze medal at the Tokyo Games. "Many congratulations to our hockey team... the whole of India is so excited, as is Odisha, of course. We are all behind you and wish you the very best," Mr Patnaik said in a brief video interaction with members of the history-making team. Earlier today Prime Minister Modi also spoke to the men's hockey team to congratulate them on their impressive performance. The Prime Minister spoke to captain Manpreet Singh and Head Coach Graham Reid, and told them the country was proud of them for scripting history. The men's hockey team won India's first Olympic hockey medal in over four decades after gallantly holding off a late charge from the Germans. The last time India won an Olympic hockey medal was during the 1980 Moscow Games, when they beat Spain 4-3 in a close encounter.