IOC employs 9 women hockey players

In a first, as many as nine players of the Indian women's hockey team have been given employment at the nation's top energy firm Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) as part of its policy to promote sports and women's hockey.

The hockey players include Suman Devi Thoudam, Rajwinder Kaur, Rashmita Minz, Sharmila Devi, Ishika Chaudhary, Bichu Devi Kharibam, Deepika, Baljeet Kaur and Akshata Dhekale, a company statement said. The players, who come from various states including Haryana, Punjab, Manipur, Odisha and Maharashtra, have participated in international tournaments, including the Tokyo Olympics and Asian Champions Trophy, among others.

"Nine players of the Indian hockey team have become part of the Indian Oil family as Indian Oil inducted them onto its rolls under its new sports policy which promotes women's hockey," it said. They were handed over their appointment letters by IOC Chairman S M Vaidya in the presence of functional directors of the company and Federation of International Hockey (FIH) President Narinder Dhruv Batra, who is also the President of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).

Speaking at the induction ceremony, Vaidya said: "We recognise how sports is the most effective vehicle of ushering in enduring social change. IOC's commitment to gender equality had to manifest in our sporting outreaches." Talking about the firm's revamped sports policy, he said, "Last year we released our revised sports policy, included the provision for recruiting women hockey players for the first time. I am glad that within a few months of the policy's roll-out, we are witnessing the conversion of intent into action."

Addressing the gathering, IOC Director (Human Resources) Ranjan Kumar Mohapatra said, "Sports is not just a CSR obligation for IOC but is part of our philosophy of 'Pehle Indian Phir Oil'. We recognise the power sports have to unify a nation and bring people together in resonance with the national spirit." IOC said it has taken up the mantle to support women's hockey which holds immense potential as witnessed by the entire world in the Tokyo Olympics.

"The recruitment of these nine players in the IOC fold is the first of many steps by the corporation to take women's hockey in India to the pinnacle of success," it added.