'60minute, ye 60 minute hum hamesha yaad rakhenge' (60 minutes, these sixty minutes we will remember forever) tweeted Hockey India. And, the entire nation will remember it forever as the Indian women hockey team is set to make its maiden venture into the semi-finals. This doubles the joy we received a day earlier with the Indian men's team ending a 49-year long impasse to enter into the semi-finals (though India won a gold in 1984). This moment, it seems, that history may come alive for India — the most successful hockey team in the history of the Olympics. For the women's team, this could be called the best-ever performance in the Olympics. Though India ended up at 4th position in the 1980 Moscow Olympics, it was in round-robin format where the top two teams on the table faced each other in the finals. The Indian team must be high on emotions as of now. Too much depends on how it will be able to hold its nerves on August 4 as it faces Argentina. There could be no doubt on capacity. The ninth seated Indian team has shown enough of it against the second positioned Australia in the quarter-finals. India converted its only penalty corner in the historic 22nd minute of the game, thanks to the efforts of Gurjit Kaur. The contributions of the Indian goalkeeper Savita Punia's remarkable contribution to the team effort has to be cherished again and again. She kept nullifying Australian efforts all through the match as the adversaries were earning back-to-back penalty corners. Savita saved the day for India on a total of nine occasions — standing as an impenetrable wall before the mighty Australians.
Now, the Rani Rampal-led Indian team will face Argentines Wednesday who have been hunting for their maiden gold for the past two decades and have contented themselves with silver twice in the 2000 Sydney Games and 2012 London Games. The Argentines have shown commendable defence against Germany in their quarter-final. The bet for India will be covert whatever chances come their way. For the men's team, the high standard it had shown in the past is a legend in itself — to be told again and again in a nostalgic tone. The effort is not just to make present gains but to build upon a history that remains unmatched. India has won an Olympic gold medal for a record eight times — out of which six came in a row between the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics and the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. After a miss in the 1960 Olympics India, India defeated Pakistan in the 1964 Tokyo Olympic finals. Since then, the Indian hockey team's performance has declined in the Olympics. Though India won its last gold in the sparsely contested 1980 Moscow Olympics. The spirited Indian team will be looking forward to ending this long drought of gold medals. During its glory days, even a single gold miss used to be a big deal for India. The deadly combination of Indian hockey wizard Dhyan Chand and his brother Roop Singh ruled the roost before the war years. After an impasse during the war years, Indian hockey returned with the same calibre with a new face in the name of Balbir Singh. All through these years, the Indian attack has been at its peak. Under the current leadership of Manpreet Singh, the Indian team has shown an aggressive stance in the past few years but what stands out occasionally is India's defence. The hero of the quarter-final match against Great Britain was PR Sreejesh. The Indian goalkeeper has exhibited spectacular defence technique with his commendable footwork and anticipation. India will be facing Belgium tomorrow — a tough and unforgiving contender. India will not only have to be high on technique, but it will also have to ensure the emotional peak it is at doesn't come in its way in the form of leaky performance. Belgium, after all, is a team of big tournaments. India will have to be unwavering in its approach. Coach Graham Reid would ensure that the high expectation from the team is channelised in the form of driving force and not a burden. What a moment it is! Both men and women hockey teams have brought us a sense of joy and pride that generations have been missing since 1980. India's record medal tally in the past is indicative of the standard performance the team has put into the game. Medals apart, the same spirited performance is expected from our hockey teams at this moment. Well played teams. Deliver your best!