Mizoram hockey player Lalremsiami wins hearts by seeing India through semis despite father’s demise

Indian women’s hockey striker Lalremsiami who hails from Mizoram set an amazing example of exceptional courage, patriotism and dedication towards the game as she opted to stay with the team at the Series Finals in Hiroshima even after suffering the loss of her father.

Lalremsiami lost her father Lalthansanga Zote on Friday due to a heart attack but did not opt out of the game and kept India’s Olympics dream alive.

When 19-year old Lalremsiami received news of her father’s demise due to heart attack on Friday morning, her first instinct was to fly back home immediately. The team’s head coach also gave her the option of taking the next flight home. But she decided otherwise.

Recollecting that it was her father who had encouraged her to pursue hockey, Siami, as her teammates call her, decided to stay back and make her father proud.

Later, India beat Chile 4-2 to qualify for the Olympic qualifiers. Not only this team India went on to win the finals of the FIH ( Fédération Internationale de Hockey) series on Sunday beating Japan 3-1 to take the top honours.

Union minister of state for youth affairs and sports Kiren Rijiju lauded Lalremsiami for her dedication. Rijiju took to twitter and shared a special post mentioning about the young striker’s loss, he said.

“Indian women hockey player Lalremsiami’s father expired when India was to play a crucial semifinal at Hiroshima that would determine if India’s Olympics dream would be alive. She told coach, ‘I want to make my father proud. I want to stay, play and make sure India qualifies”.

He also congratulated the Indian Women’s Hockey team for securing a place in the Olympic Qualifiers.

Meanwhile Mizoram Sports minister Robert Romawia Royte also took to twitter to congratulate Team India and Lalremsiami for her courage and dedication towards the game and her country.