Amrita Minz, Prem Shila Kujur, Guddi Kumari and Anjula Toppo. Picture by Gautam Dey

Dhanbad, April 19: It is the time for celebration for the Dhanbad divisional railway officials as four of their recently recruited women hockey players have made it to the Indian junior hockey team.

These girls were recently honoured with GM Award presented by the Indian Railways for their fine display of hockey. Their selection in the Indian team at this time came as a bonus for these poor tribal girls who returned to Dhanbad after taking special training in Australia.

Amrita Minz, Premshila Kujur, Guddi Kumari and Anjula Toppo, the four hockey players, work as ticket collectors in Dhanbad division of the East Central Railway.

Indian junior hockey team will be leaving for Chile to participate in the world cup hockey tournament starting in the second week of May.

Talking to The Telegraph, Dhanbad senior divisional finance manager and in charge of sports, Manoj Kumar Dubey said the girls have been asked to play and leave aside all other responsibilities including financial worries as they have been permanently absorbed by the railways. It is the first time in the history of railways that four girls of Dhanbad have been included in the probables of junior Indian hockey team.

Later, all the four girls said permanent job would certainly reduce their financial problems. They used to play for the local clubs with an almost uncertain future.

Minz said all of them had undergone rigorous training under the guidance of former international hockey player Kaushik, who was coaching them with minute details.

Their special training organised by Indian Hockey Federation in Australia has helped them improve their dribbling, taking shots at zero angle in the penality area and attacking the opponents with a team spirit, she added.

Talking about the weaknesses of the Indian team, Guddi said the players normally go for individual dribbling wasting chances to score and do not play with short passes as the European team does.

Australian players do not stick to balls for long and attack with open passes. They attack in the penality area as a whole team. The special coaching in Australia was more fruitful compared to what was taught in Japan and Hongkong, Guddi said.

Dubey said the girls are given all the facilities to perform and even senior players like Madhu Yadav, Kaushik and others believe they would excel.