Madhu Sidar and Geeta Yadav earn national call-up; Deputy CM Arun Sao congratulates players, reviews preparations
TFP Bureau, Bilaspur, August 6,2026: Chhattisgarh’s growing stature in Indian hockey received a major boost after two promising players from the state’s Khelo India State Centre of Excellence, Bilaspur, were selected for the Indian Junior Women’s Hockey Team for the upcoming Junior Women’s Asia Cup in China.
Madhu Sidar of Jashpur district and Geeta Yadav of Kabirdham district will represent India in the prestigious continental tournament, scheduled to be held in Moki, China, from August 30 to September 13.
Congratulating the players on their achievement, Deputy Chief Minister and Sports & Youth Welfare Minister Arun Sao interacted with both athletes through a video call. He wished them success in the international championship and enquired about their training and preparations for the tournament. Sports & Youth Welfare Department Secretary Yashwant Kumar and Director Tanuja Salam also extended their best wishes to the players.
Both athletes are currently undergoing advanced training at the state’s first residential hockey academy under Senior Coach Rakesh Toppo and Head Coach Ajit Lakra at the Khelo India State Centre of Excellence in Bilaspur.
Madhu Sidar, a native of Pongro village in Kansabel block of Jashpur district, comes from a farming family. She has represented Chhattisgarh in several national-level competitions, including the Sub-Junior National Championship 2024-25, School Nationals 2024-25, and the Sub-Junior Inter-Zone Championship held in Haryana. She was also part of the Chhattisgarh team that secured fourth place in the Hockey India National Championship in Andhra Pradesh and participated in the inaugural Khelo India Tribal Games hosted by Chhattisgarh earlier this year. Since April 2026, she has been training with the national junior camp in Bengaluru.
Geeta Yadav, from Bodla in Kabirdham district, began her hockey journey under the guidance of coach Shiva Chauhan. She has already gained valuable international exposure, having represented India during junior tours to the Netherlands and Belgium in 2024, Argentina in 2025, and England and Scotland in 2026. Her consistent performances have now earned her a place in the squad for the Junior Asia Cup.
The selection of two players from Chhattisgarh is being seen as a significant milestone for the state’s sports ecosystem and reflects the growing impact of its investment in grassroots talent development and high-performance training infrastructure. Officials expressed confidence that both athletes would make the state and the country proud on the continental stage.
