Salima, Nikki get hero’s welcome, cash awards and job promotions

Ranchi: Salima Tete and Nikki Pradhan were given a hero’s welcome by the state government for their spirited performance on behalf of the Indian women’s hockey team at the recently concluded Tokyo Olympics.
Simdega girl Salima and Khunti girl Nikki were greeted at Ranchi’s Birsa Munda International Airport by a swarm of admirers, journalists, state government officials and state sports minister Hafizul Hassan after they touched down in the afternoon in a commercial flight which arrived from New Delhi.
Under overcast skies, the duo strode into two open jeeps, which were decked with flowers and headed for Jharkhand Mantralaya, where chief minister Hemant Soren, social welfare minister Joba Manjhi and a battery of senior bureaucrats were waiting to welcome them.
“It is a proud moment for us. Though we fought hard, we missed out on a bronze medal to Great Britain. We as a team will try to bring home a medal at the next Olympics,” Salima said in a brief interaction with journalists from atop her jeep.
At Jharkhand Mantralaya, Soren handed over the duo cheques worth Rs 50 lakh each, the keys to scooters, smart phones and laptops. “Even though you lost out on a medal, your spirited performances against hockey superpowers at the grandest stage of them all is no less than a podium finish,” Soren told the duo in appreciation.
While their parents occupied the front rows at the auditorium, Salima and Nikki remained humble as ever as they took the dais, along with the CM. “We want you to do well and be an inspiration to the thousands of budding talents in the state,” Soren said.
Deepika Kumari, who was also part of the Olympic contingent from Jharkhand, was not a part of the ceremony though. “Deepika also participated but we couldn’t have her here,” the CM said.
Laying out his government’s vision for sports development, Soren said plans are afoot to set up eight residential hockey centres, 12 football centres, seven archery centres, six athletics centres and one volleyball and one badminton centres in coming months to provide conducive training atmosphere for the state’s sporting talents.