Olympic medal to mark start of golden era for Indian hockey: Ajit Pawar

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Thursday hailed the Indian men's hockey team, saying its Olympic medal after 41 years will mark the beginning of a golden period for the sport.

The win, after 41 years of hard work and wait, cannot be described in words, Pawar, who heads the Maharashtra Olympic Association, said in a statement.

In an edge-of-the-seat pulsating bronze play-off, India defeated Germany 5-4 on Thursday to earn a podium finish at the Olympic Games in Tokyo.

"The country's prestige has been enhanced and the bronze medal will be the beginning of a golden era for the sport," Pawar said.

He said the players, trainers and their colleagues deserved all the good wishes for bagging the medal with a determination to win against all odds.