Jamshedpur, June 19, 2026: It was a proud day for the sporting community of Jamshedpur as Tata Steel officially felicitated Naval Tata Hockey Academy (NTHA) cadets Ashish Tani Puti and Premchand Soy. Both youngsters were integral members of the Indian squad that clinched the gold medal at the recent 2026 Men’s Hockey U-18 Asia Cup in Kakamigahara, Japan. The grand felicitation ceremony took place at the NTHA campus in Jamshedpur, attended by sports officials, coaches, media representatives, and academy stakeholders.
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India Breaks 10-Year Jinx to Reclaim Asian Glory
The Indian U-18 team displayed absolute dominance throughout their international campaign, culminating in a spectacular 4–1 victory over host nation Japan in the final match. This triumph marks India’s first U-18 Asian title in a decade. The brilliant performance on the international stage has instantly put these local academy stars on the national team selectors’ radar.
Tata Steel Reiterates Commitment to Grassroots Sports
Speaking at the event, D B Sundara Ramam, Vice President, Corporate Services, Tata Steel, highly praised the dedication of both athletes. He noted that the historic achievement of Ashish and Premchand mirrors the strength of Jamshedpur’s robust sporting ecosystem. He emphasized that Tata Steel remains fully committed to nurturing grassroots talent and providing world-class infrastructure and competitive exposure for young athletes to excel globally.
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Meet Jamshedpur’s Golden Boys
Ashish Tani Puti: Hailing from Jharkhand, the rock-solid defender not only guarded the backline flawlessly but also emerged as the tournament’s top goal scorer with his lethal drag-flicks.
Premchand Soy: Controlling the center of the pitch, the dynamic midfielder showcased tactical discipline and an all-round performance that dictated the tempo of the final matches.
The ceremony also honored the academy’s coaching and support staff, acknowledging their tireless behind-the-scenes work in shaping these players into international champions.