The Indian women hockey team at its Bengaluru airport welcome. Photo: PIB Bengaluru; cropped from the original.
BENGALURU: Garlands and a warm airport reception marked the Indian women hockey team’s return to Bengaluru after its Asian Games 2026 gold medal, a triumph that ended a 44-year wait, according to a PIB Bengaluru release.
The players and support staff were welcomed at Kempegowda International Airport by Sports Authority of India officials and representatives of hockey bodies and the state sports department. The team has returned to its training base at SAI Bengaluru.
A welcome at the team’s training city
SAI regional director Vishnu Sudhakaran and officials and staff from the Bengaluru centre greeted and honoured the team. Sucheta Sreejesh, IRS, Commissioner of Customs, Airport and Air Cargo Complex, also attended the reception, along with representatives of Hockey India, Hockey Karnataka and Karnataka’s Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports.
The players and support staff were garlanded as officials celebrated the team’s achievement, the release issued on October 4 said.
Home visits before the next national camp
The players are expected to make short visits to their home states before returning to Bengaluru to resume the national camp and prepare for upcoming international competitions.
The homecoming places Bengaluru back at the centre of the team’s preparations, with the SAI training base set to host the next phase after the celebrations and family visits.
Source: PIB Bengaluru release, October 4, 2026.
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