By IANS
Santiago (Chile) : Away from home to play the crucial Olympic qualifiers, the Indian hockey team is overwhelmed by the homely treatment meted out to them here.
With several players being purely vegetarian, assistant coaches Mohinder Pal Singh and Ramesh Parameswaran have taken on additional responsibility of cooking home made food for the team.
The management of Hotel Director has been extremely co-operative in putting the kitchen at the disposal of Singh and Ramesh. As for the players, they are simply savouring the “home food”.
A huge support has also come in the from the Indian embassy here with Ambassador Susmita Gongulee Thomas and her staff supplying rotis, rice and various dishes much to the delight of the team.
“We are extremely grateful to the embassy for all the help and co-operation. Their wholehearted involvement has certainly helped us to feel at home here in Santiago,” said chief coach Joaquim Carvalho.
The players are looking forward to a dinner the embassy has organised.
“It is always a great to have Indian food especially when you are travelling abroad. For a player, food is very important since we expend a lot of energy during practice and matches, and there is nothing like home food when we get back to our hotel,” skipper Prabodh Tirkey said.
India never missed an Olympics since their debut in 1928. Thrice before they played in qualifying rounds and each time, they have come out successful. India will take on Russia in the opening game Saturday.