The atmosphere was joyous, the occasion truly memorable. It was the much-awaited dinner hosted by Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh for Olympic medallists and participants from the state, and some others, including gold medallist Neeraj Chopra, on Wednesday.
Pleasure intermingled with pride, as India’s celebration of the Olympic glory continued days after the return of the heroes. The lawns of the Chief Minister’s farmhouse in Siswan (Mohali) were lit up with the spirit of revelry and the aroma of the savouries that Captain Amarinder had painstakingly prepared for his cherished guests.
“I started at 11 in the morning. Most of it was done by around 5 p.m., and then it was time for some final touches. But I loved every minute of it,” said the Chief Minister, with the enjoyment of it all sparkling in his eyes. “They (the sportspersons) worked so hard to win us glory, what I have done for them is nothing in comparison,” he remarked, looking his usual dapper self as he greeted the guests personally.
And the hospitality of Captain Amarinder clearly knew no bounds, as he could be seen serving his guests personally, straight out of the ‘patilas’ in which he had cooked his choicest dishes earlier. “The food always tastes better if served direct from the cooking vessel,” he remarked.
On the menu was nothing short of a royal feast – Mutton Khara Pishori, Long Ellachi Chicken, Aloo Korma, Dal Masri, Murg Korma, Dugani Biryani and Zarda Rice (Sweet Dish).
Hockey Captain Manpreet Singh (DSP Punjab police) said he had heard about the Maharaja’s cooking but what he savoured today exceeded his expectations. His personal favourite? Aloo! Discuss thrower Kamalpreet said she was truly impressed by both the food and the hospitality of the Chief Minister. “It was rich (quite a bit of ghee) but it was excellent food,” to quote Neeraj Chopra.
Besides Olympic Javelin Throw gold medalist Neeraj Chopra, the special guests for the evening included Olympics Bronze Medalist Hockey Players Manpreet Singh (Captain), Harmanpreet Singh (Vice Captain), Mandeep Singh, Hardik Singh, Rupinder Pal Singh, Shamsher Singh, Dilpreet Singh, Gurjant Singh, Varun Kumar and Simranjit Singh.
Women Hockey Semi Finalist Gurjit Kaur and Reena Khokhar, Reserve Hockey player Krishan Bahadur Pathak and Olympics Finalist Athlete Kamalpreet Kaur were also among the guests.