Indian hockey has achieved a historic milestone at the Asian Games 2026, with both the Indian men’s and women’s teams reaching the finals after winning their respective semi-final matches.“For the first time since 1998, both the Indian men’s and women’s hockey teams have reached the final at the same edition of the Asian Games,” said Iqbal Singh Sandhu, CEO of Surjit Hockey Society, Jalandhar.The Indian women’s team defeated South Korea 2-0 in their semi-final on September 30, while the Indian men’s team secured their place in the final with a thrilling 4-3 victory over Pakistan on October 1.Sports promoter Surinder Singh Bhapa and Sandhu congratulated the Indian men’s and women’s hockey teams on their outstanding performances, extending their warm wishes to the players, coaching staff and Hockey India.They said the achievement was the result of the players’ hard work, discipline, dedication and team spirit, along with the systematic preparation undertaken by the coaching staff.The Indian men’s team also features several players from Jalandhar, including Manpreet Singh, Mandeep Singh, Hardik Singh and Sukhjit Singh. In addition, other players from Punjab have been part of the Jalandhar-based Surjit Hockey Academy.Sandhu specifically highlighted the role of Olympian Balwinder Singh Shammi on the selection committee, describing his presence as a matter of pride for Punjab and Indian hockey.The Indian women’s team are scheduled to play China in the final on October 2, while the men’s gold-medal match is scheduled for October 3.Surjit Hockey Society extended its best wishes to both the Indian men’s and women’s hockey teams for their respective finals.