Jalandhar, Oct. 4 -- Punjab erupted in celebrations on Saturday as the Indian men's hockey team clinched a historic gold medal at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, defeating Malaysia 5-1 in a largely one-sided final. The victory secured India's back-to-back Asian Games gold medals and also earned the team direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The triumph was particularly special for Punjab, long regarded as a nursery of Indian hockey. Eight players from the state were part of the 20-member squad. Captain Harmanpreet Singh led from the front, scoring twice, while Hardik Singh and Jugraj Singh were among the other Punjab players to find the net. Celebrations broke out in villages and towns across the state as families and supporters gathered to watch the final. In Jalandhar's Mithapur village, known for producing generations of hockey players, residents celebrated the achievement of former India captain Manpreet Singh and ace forward Mandeep Singh, both of whom hail from the village. "I am very proud that my husband has won his third gold medal. Though I felt little bad for Malaysia but it is great to see Indian team showcasing best of their skills at international stage," said Manpreet's wife Illi Saddique, who originally hailed from Malaysia. Mithapur was filled with festive cheer as 'dholis' were called in and villagers celebrated the victory with music and dancing. Families of the players joined the celebrations, turning the occasion into a community festival. Manjit Singh, mother of senior India player Manpreet Singh, said she had been nervous before the match but prayed for the team's success. "It feels very good, and I am extremely happy that today's match was won so convincingly. Earlier, I was feeling a bit nervous, but I said a prayer to Waheguru that they must win this match. They played very well, stayed united, and won convincingly," she said. Mandeep Singh's father, Ravinder Singh, said the victory was a proud moment for both the family and the village. "We are proud of the whole team. They played like professionals throughout the tournament," he said. Jalandhar has two other players in the squad - vice-captain and midfielder Hardik Singh, who belongs to Khusropur village, and forward Sukhjeet Singh, a product of Surjit Hockey Academy. Other Punjab players include Harmanpreet Singh from Timmowal in Amritsar district, Jarmanpreet Singh Bal from Raazdaan village, Jugraj Singh from Attari and Dilpreet Singh from Butala. Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann congratulated the team, highlighting the contribution of the state's eight players and noting that Manpreet Singh had secured his third Asian Games gold....