NEW DELHI/MUMBAI/CHENNAI: India's landmark Olympic medal in hockey on Thursday was a result of players' relentless hard work for more than a decade but what also contributed immensely to their success was the stoic support provided by their families, who can't wait to see them after six months.
With COVID-19 sweeping through the country, the players were based in Bengaluru for six months ahead of the Tokyo Games.
The only way they could see their loves ones was via video calls.
With India wining their first Olympic medal in 41 years, an outpouring of emotion from the players was expected but their families also could not hold their tears before the loud celebrations began in the neighbourhoods.
Aneeshya, wife of India's star goalkeeper P R Sreejesh, got emotional when the final hooter went off in the bronze medal play-off match with her husband making the match-winning save from a German drag-flick.
"It's the happiest moment in my life", said Aneeshya.
Sreejesh resides in the suburbs of Kochi and his family is eagerly waiting for his return.
The final moments of the match during which Sreejesh made some of his trademark saves, were very stressful for her.
She now just wants to spend some time with him.
"We couldn't meet him for the last six months. I just want to see him. (This) Olympics was his greatest dream. This COVID-19 pandemic turned our lives in unexpected ways, he was not able to come home. But he managed to use the time very wisely. I want to go on a picnic once he returns," she added.
With a majority of the players hailing from Punjab and Haryana, celebratory scenes were witnessed across the two states.
Family of Jalandhar-based Manpreet Singh were assured by the India skipper himself that a medal was coming home.
Manpreet's mother Manjit Kaur, who like families of other players, was catching the action on TV, turned emotional after the team pulled off a hard-fought win.
She revealed that her son had phoned her before the game and told her that "the team will win a medal".
Coming from a humble background, she recalled the days of Manpreet's struggles and said the hard work which he put in all these years has paid off.
Gurjant Singh and Shamsher Singh's families in Amritsar district were jubilant too after the medal was confirmed.
Mother of Rupinder Pal Singh, who was among the goal scorers, said they were a bit dejected after the team lost to Belgium in the semifinals.
Now they are busy preparing a grand welcome for her son in Faridkot.
Vivek Sagar Prasad, who hails from Hoshangabad district in Madhya Pradesh, is also eagerly awaited in his hometown.
"If it was not now, then (maybe) we would have to spend 41 years more time, to get a medal. Hats off to Sreejesh for that save, in that pressure situation, we were very happy and tears rolled from our eyes we hugged each other, I cannot express feeling about that moment..." said Vivek's brother Vidya Sagar.
"Not only us but the entire Madhya Pradesh is ready to welcome him, we have already made the arrangements, the government has also made arrangements and we have received calls in that regard, we will go to Bhopa and will welcome him at the airport in a grand way," he said.