Savita Punia (right) with Bichu Devi Kharibam in Amstelveen on Thursday
Kolkata: India’s best World Cup finish in 52 years prompted an appeal from former India captain and goalkeeper Savita Punia, who wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media after the team’s historic campaign — asking him to help save the Women’s Hockey India League (WHIL). “Sir, our women just rewrote hockey history after 52 years. 5 Germany 3-1 to finish fifth — their best result since the inaugural World Cup in 1974, when they finished fourth.
The league that built these players — the Women’s HIL — needs support to survive. A word from you could change its fate,” she wrote while tagging Modi. The timing of the appeal was significant. India had just completed one of their finest World Cup campaigns, beating world No. Savita believes the league is too important to allow it to disappear.
Hours after India finished fifth at the World Cup in Amstelveen on Thursday, Savita posted a series of messages on ‘X’, tagging the Prime Minister, union sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya, several other ministers, Odisha chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi, sporting personalities and potential corporate backers.
It creates opportunities, develops talent and builds the pipeline for future World Cup & Olympic stars,” she wrote in another post, before making a direct appeal to govt ministers: “Let’s ensure the girls coming through today have a league to dream of playing in tomorrow. “The WHIL is that platform. Savita did not forget those who have already supported the women’s game. She thanked Parth Jindal and JSW, along with the Delhi Pipers and Bengal Tigers ownership groups, for standing behind women’s hockey and urged others to follow their example.