Warm Reception to the Indian Soccer team [Archives:2001/19/Culture]

Dr Ramakanta Sahu
Under the aegis of the Indian Embassy Club, Sana’a, the touring Indian football team which played a match with Yemen in Sana’a on Friday, 4 May was given a rousing reception at Taj Sheba Hotel. His Excellency Mr. Mohinder Singh Suman, Ambassador of India to Yemen welcomed the team and presented each member with a memento as a token of goodwill. Prof. Damodar Thakur, President of the club in his remarks lauded the brilliant teamwork and exemplary sportsman spirit of the Indian team. The fact that the match was a draw symbolized that the team avoided either obsessive elation at success or profound depression at loss, thereby presenting a friendly gesture of equality and brotherhood. On behalf of Mr. Kunshik, Chief of Arabian Group of Companies; Mr. Bhatia, Chief of the CocaCola group; Mr. Mehta, Manager of Taj Sheba Hotel and the Embassy Club, Prof. Thakur offered his thanks to the members of the team as well as of the audience for the dynamic togetherness. Mr. Mohammad Shamsuddin, Chief of the Delegation, profusely thanked the organizers of the memorable evening for their kind gesture of goodwill and warm sendoff to the team. Other prominent members of the delegation included Mr. Nasser Ali (Manager), Mr. Sukhvinder Singh (Chief Coach), Mr. Krishnaji Rao (Technical Director), Dr. Ramesh (Team Doctor), Mr. Brahmananda (Assistant Coach), and Mr. Taichung Bhutia (Captain). The team left for Bombay next morning enroute to Bahrain.

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