'All I could say is thank you to all of them. Me in an open palanquin, paraded the town of Kolasib — this is beyond a dream. If this is the kind of love I get from them, I’ll give my life to achieve more,' Lalremsiami said
Aizawl: The youngest member of the Indian women's hockey team, Lalremsiami, was given a grand welcome as she returned home to Kolasib after bagging silver medals at Asian Games and Youth Olympics.
The Indian women's hockey team did the nation proud by finishing on the podium in the Asiad in Indonesia and the Youth Olympic Games in Argentina.
The 18-year-old Lalremsiami, who scored nine goals in Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires, was received back home in grand style as chants of 'Remsiami' were heard amid the beating of the drums in Kolasib, which is 85 km north of Mizoram capital Aizawl.
The homecoming of Indian hockey star Ms Lalremsiami at Kolasib. pic.twitter.com/j5Nl3QhjfB
— Mizoram Tourism (@mizoramtourism)She sat in a palanquin and was taken through the streets on Wednesday afternoon. Fans gathered on either sides of the road and later she signed autographs for them.
Lalremsiami’s father Lalthansanga Zote said, “This is beyond my expectations. Look at this, thousands of people unite only because of my daughter, I never knew my hometown is this united.”
“All I could say is thank you to all of them. Me in an open palanquin, paraded the town of Kolasib — this is beyond a dream. If this is the kind of love I get from them, I’ll give my life to achieve more,” Lalremsiami told Indian Express's website.
Mizoram Tourism's Twitter page shared a video of the reception given to the player.
"The homecoming of Indian hockey star Ms Lalremsiami at Kolasib. #Mizoram #IndianHockey @PMOIndia @TheHockeyIndia @Ra_THORe," it wrote with the video.
To this, Union minister for youth affairs and sports, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore said it was an "inspirational moment" for any athlete.
"Very heartening to see the love and respect being given to Ms Lalremsiami! What an inspirational moment for any athlete! This is how new heroes will emerge! (sic)," he wrote on his Twitter page.
Very heartening to see the love and respect being given to Ms Lalremsiami! What an inspirational moment for any athlete! This is how new heroes will emerge! https://t.co/tSXbvYL0Ce
— Rajyavardhan Rathore (@Ra_THORe)Thank you Ms Lalremsiami for making Mizoram proud. pic.twitter.com/Zo6JMdOox2
— Mizoram Tourism (@mizoramtourism)Read Exclusive COVID-19 Coronavirus News updates, at MyNation.