ANI
18 Aug 2019, 18:48 GMT+10
New Delhi [India], Aug 18 (ANI): Hockey India congratulated defender Kothajit Singh Khadangbam for featuring in his 200th international match on Sunday.
He achieved this milestone when India played against New Zealand in their second Olympic Test Event match at the Oi Hockey Stadium in Tokyo.
Manipur-born defender donned the blue jersey for the senior men's team, the first time in 2012. Since then, Kothajit has regularly been featuring in international tournaments for the Indian team.
With 200 matches under his belt, the defender comes with oodles of experience and displays a character of calm when under pressure.
Kothajit, who turned 27 on Saturday, was part of India's silver medal-winning team at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and also won the gold medal at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon. It was during this match that Kothajit scored a brilliant equalizer in the final against Pakistan that took the match into a penalty shootout.
The Indian stalwart was also part of the contingent that took part in the Rio Olympic Games in 2016.
After not being a part of the team which went for the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta-Palembang, he was entrusted with the task at the Asian Champions Trophy 2018 in Muscat, Oman.
Having justified his selection, Kothajit also found a place in the Indian team for the prestigious Odisha Hockey Men's World Cup 2018 in Bhubaneswar where the team went down fighting in the quarter-final to the Netherlands.
"I'm extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to represent the nation for over seven years now. It has been a long journey, and all the years playing for the country have been very memorable. To be wearing my country's colours for the 200th time today means a lot to me," Kothajit said.
"New friends have been made in the dressing room through the years, and I'm thankful to the support staff and my teammates for supporting me all these years. I hope to keep representing my country whenever it is required of me. It is an important phase for the team as we look to qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games," he added.
Congratulating Kothajit on completing 200 International Caps, Mohd Mushtaque Ahmad, President, Hockey India, said: "On behalf of Hockey India, I would like to congratulate Kothajit on completing 200 international caps for the country. He is an inspiration to many young players across India, especially from the Northeast. He is one of the finest defenders in the country and to play for India for all these years is a great achievement." (ANI)Get a daily dose of Asia Pacific Star news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Asia Pacific Star.
More InformationBANGKOK, Thailand: This week, Thailand implemented land border restrictions, including a ban on tourists traveling to Cambodia, as...
BEIJING, China: Extreme weather is once again testing China's resilience, as intensifying monsoon rains trigger floods across major...
The latest shipment to Frankfurt marks a new milestone, not just for the county, but as part of a broader trend. According to German...
Chiang Mai [Thailand], June 28 (ANI): Raw talent' is how coach Crispin Chettri defines Priyadharshini Selladurai, the Indian women's...
Majuli (Assam) [India], June 28 (ANI): Majuli, the river island district in Assam, has marked a significant milestone as its indigenous...
Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], June 28 (ANI): Day five of the National Selection Trials 3 and 4 for Group A Rifle and Pistol shooters...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: The U.S. dollar tumbled this week, hitting its lowest levels since 2021 against the euro, British pound, and...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: Walmart is set to close a major Sam's Club fulfillment center in Fort Worth, Texas, as part of a shift in...
SAN FRANCISCO, California: A U.S. judge has dismissed a copyright lawsuit filed by 13 authors against Meta Platforms, the company that...
DUBAI, U.A.E: Oman is set to introduce a personal income tax as part of its strategy to reduce dependency on hydrocarbon revenues....
NEW YORK, New York - U.S. President Donald Trump dropped a bombshell on Friday announcing he had terminated trade talks with Canada....
Federal officials, then-Governor of Indiana Eric Holcomb, union leaders, company representatives, and dozens of guests assembled at...