New Delhi, 07 September 2021: The Indian Women’s Hockey Team fought tooth and nail against some of the top teams in the world at the Tokyo Olympics in July-August 2021. They made history when they defeated the three-time Olympic Gold Medallists Australia 1-0 in the Quarter-Final and played in their first-ever Olympic Semi-Final against Argentina. The Indian Women’s Hockey Team Midfielder Salima Tete, who played an integral role in India’s brilliant performance at the Olympics, expressed that even though the Indian Women’s Team couldn’t finish on the podium, they have shown signs of a bright future. 

“Our performance in Tokyo is slowly starting to sink in now. We were really dejected when we lost to Great Britain in the Bronze Medal match, but now we are seeing the positives from the tournament. We may not have won a Medal, but we have certainly gained a lot of confidence from the way we played in Tokyo and it’s definitely going to help us to grow as a team and produce much better results in the future,” said the 19-year-old.

Tete added that she feels blessed to have received an opportunity to play in an Olympic Games at a very young age.

“The Olympic Games is the biggest tournament for any sportsperson and I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity of performing for my country at the biggest of stages. I have learned a lot by playing in high-pressure situations and I am certainly going to use my learnings in the upcoming competitions. One learns a lot when one is against the best and we are very happy with the way we gave a tough fight to each of our opponents in the knock-out stage of the Tokyo Games,” said the Midfielder. 

When asked about the most important things that helped India perform exceedingly well at the Olympics, Tete said, “We always found a way to push the ball forward and attack our opponents in the Olympics. We created many goal-scoring opportunities and ensured that we utilized our Penalty Corners well. And also we gave everything we had on the pitch and never gave up, no matter what the situation was. The never-give-in attitude helped us to stay in the moment and keep fighting against our opponents until the final whistle was blown.”

New Delhi, 06 September 2021: It’s been a month since the Indian Men’s Hockey Team won the historic Bronze medal by beating Germany 5-4 at the Tokyo Olympic Games. Team Skipper Manpreet Singh believes now it’s time to stop basking in the glory of the achievement in Tokyo and it’s time to reset their focus and start planning for a busy 2022 calendar. 

“I think these past few weeks have been great with people showering us with all their love and praises. Now, I feel it’s time we rest our bodies and mind. We have enjoyed all the felicitations, the honour and accolades we received has been overwhelming but now we must start thinking about how to better ourselves for the 2022 calendar,” stated the Captain. 

With the all-important Asian Games scheduled to be held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China from 10 to 25 September 2022, the team’s top priority will be to qualify for the Paris Olympics by winning the Gold at Asian Games. “Last time, we ended up with a Bronze and lost out on winning the automatic qualification. We were lucky to have the FIH Olympic qualifying matches in India. But we can’t depend on the same again. The best would be for us to qualify by winning the Asian Games, so it gives us right amount of time to prepare for 2024 Olympics,” he explained. 

Manpreet further expressed that this is a new beginning for Indian hockey with both the men and the women’s teams doing well at the Olympics. He believes the support they have garnered following this historic feat will only increase the popularity of the sport. “I truly feel this is a new beginning for Indian hockey. With the women’s team too doing so well at the Olympics, hockey is witnessing the same kind of support it once had. I was told many people from different professions woke up early to see our matches just like they would back in the glory days when Indian hockey fans would stay glued to the radio to hear the commentary.” 

“I feel this fanbase we have earned after the Olympics is great for the sport in general and now it is on us to give these fans bigger and better feats to ensure their supports continues and the popularity of hockey grows further,” he concluded. 

New Delhi, 28 August 2021: Dragflick specialist Gurjit Kaur, who was one of the architects of the Indian Women’s Hockey Team’s fourth-place finish at the recently concluded Tokyo Olympics 2020, has been nominated for the FIH Women’s Player of the Year Award 2020-21. The 25-year-old defender etched her name in the history of world hockey following her heroics in the Tokyo Olympics Quarter Final match. She scored a match-winning goal from a Penalty Corner in India’s historic 1-0 win over Australia, which earned the Indian Women’s Hockey team a place in their first-ever Semi-Final at the Olympic Games.

Speaking on her nomination for FIH Women’s Player of the Year Award 2020-21, Gurjit expressed, “It’s a huge thing for me to be nominated for the FIH Women’s Player of the Year Award 2020-2021. For an athlete, it’s one of the best things when all your hard work and sacrifices get recognised at a world level, and I am really happy to see my name on that list. It will give me extra motivation to do even better for the team.”

When asked about that decisive goal against Australia, which helped the Indian eves script history at Olympic Games, Gurjit said, “I think that’s my job, and I just did it. My job is to dragflick, and I got a chance, which I converted.”

 “No doubt, there is my name on the scoresheet, but that doesn’t mean it was mine alone, it was a team goal. Each one of us contributed to it, from the defence line to midfielders, to strikers, who created the penalty corner, and eventually, it was my responsibility to convert it,” she added.

The Indian Women’s Hockey Team missed out on the Olympic Medal by a whisker, having lost to Great Britain in the Bronze Medal Play-Off match. However, the Amritsar-born player feels that there are a lot of positives to take from this dream campaign. She said, “Even though we missed out on winning the medal by a whisker, there are a lot of positives to take from this dream campaign.”

“People have started watching us, and I am sure our performance will inspire young girls to take up hockey. The Tokyo Olympics 2020 marks the beginning of a new era of Indian hockey. We have gained a lot of confidence, we have become fearless, and going forward it will certainly help us perform well in major tournaments. I also hope we get the same amount of love and respect going forward,” she concluded.

“Today is a very emotional day for me as I have decided to retire from International Hockey. I had been part of this wonderful journey with the Indian Women’s Hockey Team since 2008 and through this journey we have seen many ups and downs but we remained as one unit, giving each other the strength and motivation to remain strong and fight all the odds to excel and bring laurels to the country. 

I was very fortunate to have played at the Rio Olympics in 2016, India’s first appearance in over 3 decades. Many people told me it was a historic moment for women’s hockey in India but I always believed this team can achieve so much more. As much as I wish to be part of the Indian team as they prepare for the Tokyo Olympics, my knee injuries have cut short my dream. I have been told by the doctors that I would be requiring another knee surgery in the coming days and I am unsure how long it would take before I fully recover. Pursuant to my treatment, I will play domestic hockey and play for NALCO who have supported my career by providing me a job. 

I have come a long way in the sport and I carry with me some great memories with the Indian team who have stood strong by my side and the girls were always my family away from home. 

I would like to thank my teammates, Chief Coach Sjoerd Marijne and the team support staff. My heartfelt thanks to Hockey India who ensured I was given the best treatment during my injury and I am grateful for their unparalleled support to women’s hockey. I would also like to thank Ministry, Youth Affairs & Sports (GOI), Sports Authority of India and Odisha State Government for constantly encouraging us and providing us with support. My family, my husband and friends back in Odisha have been my strongest supporters and I wish to thank them for helping me pursue my passion for hockey. I could not have come this far without their encouragement. 

Lastly, I wish all my teammates the very best as they begin the New Year with a new goal to win a medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. I will miss being part of this fantastic team!” 

New Delhi, 12 December 2019: The year 2018 has been eventful for the Indian Women’s Hockey Team as they not only booked their ticket to 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where for the first time in the history of the game the Indian Women Team will make back-to-back appearances in the most prestigious sporting event, but the lead up to the Qualifier also saw them amass creditable victories against quality sides like Spain, Ireland, Japan, China, Korea, England among other countries.

Their feat has brought several accolades, awards and recognition in this past one year which the team Skipper Rani sees as a new era for women’s hockey in the country. “The fact that people never expected any great result from the Indian Women’s Team always bothered us. No one expected us to win, just a participation would bring satisfaction. But now I see that attitude change towards the Indian Women’s Hockey Team. We have proved with our performances in 2018 and 2019 that we can achieve greatness too,” stated Rani on the sidelines of the FICCI India Sports Awards 2019. 

While winnings awards and being recognised spurs her to do better, Rani also sees this as a positive step towards drawing more attention to Indian Women’s Hockey. “Personally this award is a big boost for me to do better and contribute to my team’s performance. I also think this kind of recognition highlights Indian Women’s Hockey among a different genre of people who are not necessarily hockey followers. I believe this will only help the sport grow. I would love to see the Indian Team inspire more women take up the sport professionally,” she added. 

The Indian Team is currently in Bengaluru for the ongoing National Coaching Camp till 15 December 2019. After a three-week break for Christmas and New Year, the core group will return to camp on 5 January 2020 to prepare for the New Zealand Tour. “One of the primary focus for us will be on fitness and recovery. While the plan is to play top quality matches against good teams in the lead up to the Olympics, all of us need to manage our body and mind well. We will need to peak at the right time and going by the weather in Tokyo around the time of the Olympics, I believe fitness will play a huge part in how teams fair,” she added. 

New Delhi, 10 November 2019: The Hockey India Disciplinary Committee Meeting chaired by Bhola Nath Singh, who is also the Vice President of Hockey India, on Tuesday unanimously decided to suspend players from Punjab Armed Police for a period of 12-18 months while players from Punjab National Bank have been suspended for 6-12 months respectively following the recent violence that broke out during the Final of 56th Nehru Senior Hockey Tournament (Men) between Punjab Armed Police and Punjab National Bank, clearly violating the Hockey India/ Hockey India League Code of Conduct. 

The two-day Hockey India Disciplinary Committee Meeting was chaired by Bhola Nath Singh and attended by Members of the Committee Harbinder Singh and Elena Norman, who is also the CEO of Hockey India, included invitees Mohd Mushtaque Ahmad, President Hockey India, and Rajinder Singh, Secretary General Hockey India. 

The Committee placed Punjab Armed Police players Hardeep Singh and Jaskaran Singh under an 18 months suspension while Dupinderdeep Singh, Jagmeet Singh, Sukhpreet Singh, Sarvanjit Singh and Balwinder Singh have been suspended for 12 months with effect from 11 December 2019 for their involvement the Level 3 offence under Hockey India/ Hockey India League Code of Conduct. Punjab Armed Police Team Manager Amit Sandhu was suspended for 18 months for a Level 3 offence and it was also recommended that the Punjab Police Team be placed under three months suspension and not be eligible to play in any of the All India Tournaments with effect from 10 March 2020 to 9 June 2020 (following the expiry of their suspension due to participation in an unsanctioned tournament). 

Players from Punjab National Bank Sukhjeet Singh, Gursimran Singh and Sumit Toppo have been suspended for 12 months while the team skipper Jasbir Singh has been suspended for six months as the Captain is also responsible for the team’s conduct while the Punjab National Bank Team Manager Sushil Kumar Dubey too has been suspended for six months due to his team’s inability to follow the Hockey India/ Hockey India League Code of Conduct and sanctions.  It was also recommended that the Punjab National Bank Team be placed under three months suspension and not be eligible to play in any of the All India Tournaments with effect from 11 December 2020 to 10 March 2020. 

After reviewing the report submitted by the Tournament Director and also having viewed the video evidence in the presence of players involved in the offence, Chairman of the Hockey India Disciplinary Committee Bhola Nath Singh expressed great disappointment over such an incident that reflects poorly on Indian hockey. 

Further it was unanimously agreed by the Committee that all the above players would be on further probation for a period of 24 months after the expiry of their sanctions and any breaches of Hockey India / Hockey India League Code of Conduct during this probation period would constitute an immediate Level 3 offence and the individual will automatically be suspended for a period of 24 months. 

Players from Hockey Rajnandgaon and Hockey Bilaspur too suspended 

On Monday, the Hockey India Disciplinary Committee unanimously decided to suspend players from Hockey Rajnandgaon for nine months and also reprimanded Hockey Bilaspur players with three months suspension with effect from 10 December 2019 following the on-ground violence that resulted in breach of Hockey India/ Hockey India League Code of Conduct during the recently held 4th Chhattisgarh Senior Men State Championship 2019-2020. 

The first day of the meeting on 9 December 2019 attended by Hockey India Disciplinary Committee Chairman Bhola Nath Singh and Members Elena Norman, Harbinder Singh and included invitee Mohd Mushtaque Ahmad, President Hockey India.

Hockey Rajnandgaon Captain Mithlesh Pandiya is placed under three months suspension while Sandeep Yadav, Taufik Ahmad, Sukhdev Niramalkar have been suspended for nine months. Rajesh Nirmalkar (who also officiated as umpire) was let-off with a warning for playing and officiating in the same tournament while Sabbir Solanki, Team Manager of Hockey Rajnandgaon was placed under 3 months suspension for a Level 2 offence. 

Bilaspur Hockey Captain Omkar Yadav and Team Manager Ikhlak Ali have been suspended for three months for committing Level 2 offence while Louis Tirkey has been suspended for six months as he committed a Level 3 offence under the Hockey India/ Hockey India League Code of Conduct. 

The Tournament Director Kishore Dihwar too was punished with a three months suspension for failing to perform his duties, Umpire Shakeel Ahmad was awarded 12 months suspension.

Further it was unanimously agreed that all the above involved players, officials and state member unit would be on probation for a period of 12 months after the expiry of their sanctions and any breaches of the Hockey India / Hockey India League Code of Conduct during this probation period would constitute an immediate Level 3 offence and the individual will automatically be suspended for a period of 12 months.

Warning against Hockey Jammu & Kashmir 

In another hearing, the Hockey India Disciplinary Committee issued a warning against Hockey Jammu & Kashmir for not managing the State in proper manner in respect of Sarbat Daa Bhalaa Hockey Tournament held from 20 October to 26 October in Jammu since the conduct of the tournament was in violation of the Hockey India Policy on sanctioned and unsanctioned tournaments. All the teams and coaches who took part in the Sarbat Daa Bhalaa Hockey Tournament too faced the brunt of a 3 months sanction while the officials have been awarded 6 months sanction under the FIH/ Hockey India Policy for Sanctioned and Unsanctioned Tournaments. 

Teams that were sanctioned for 3 months due to participation in this unsanctioned tournament include:

Technical Officials that were sanctioned for 6 months due to participation in this unsanctioned tournament include:

Committee calls on RSPB & Northern Railways Sports Association to take action in long-pending disciplinary issue 

After reviewing the complete details provided regarding the case of player Ajay Yadav and RSPB in breach of the Code of Conduct as the player participated in the 96th All India Trades Cup Hockey Tournament 2018, held from 17 June – 24 June 2018 under a forged name of Akhilesh Yadav DOB 16/04/1996, the Committee unanimously agreed that since RSPB and Northern Railways Sports Association have now commenced appropriate action against the individuals that have breached the Code of Conduct that no further action will be taken against RSPB or Northern Railways Sports Association as long as due process in completed in regards to the disciplinary action initiated as per the letter of Northern Railways Sports Association dated 9 December 2019. The action of RSPB and Northern Railways Sports Association is required to be intimated to Hockey India by or before 8 June 2O2O in order for Hockey India to close the matter.

Bhubaneswar, 06 November 2019: With the year coming to a close, it has been a positive one for Indian Men’s Hockey team’s drag-flicker Rupinder Pal Singh, who made a comeback to the side when he took part in the team’s Tour of Belgium and then the crucial FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers Odisha held in November. With a return of two goals and some brilliant defending, the drag-flicker returned to the side with some impressive performances, and helped his team qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

“I think 2018 was a relatively tough year for me because I was not getting into the side, and missed some major tournaments. It was a really difficult experience but these tough phases transform you into a better player, and a wiser human being. I realized that I needed to work on some areas after I had sustained a major injury, but I am really grateful to be ending 2019 with a very positive mindset, and looking forward to achieving great things with this bunch of players in the next 7-8 months,” said the 29-year-old.

“It was a journey of constant hard work on the ground and in the gym, and I am really pleased with the way I have been able to make a comeback. The most important thing for me was to make sure that I contribute to the team performing to the best of our abilities, and I think we are gradually getting to a level which can help us compete for the top prizes. It is an important year in the lives of a lot of players in the world because we have the Olympic Games this upcoming year, and I am really looking forward to making my country proud,” added the drag-flicker. 

Currently in Bhubaneswar for the Indian Men’s Hockey Team’s Training and Conditioning Camp, Rupinder says that the focus on the current camp has been on individual improvements rather than plotting out strategies for the FIH Hockey Pro League or Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. “We had these four weeks of camp to focus on our individual development, improvement and growth. The coaching staff has been putting in all the hard work to make sure that all the 34 players in the National Camp are working on specific areas of concern for each player – starting from the basics of the game. It is a great process because this is the only time we get to focus on individual players and improving skills, in the lead up to the Olympics. The next camp will be aimed at getting ready for the FIH Hockey Pro League, and then we will focus on strategies to face Netherlands,” said Rupinder.

Having made his debut in 2008, Rupinder was also a part of the Indian side that finished 8th at the Rio Olympics 2016, and the 29-year-old recalled the experience, “It was a great feeling to have finally represented the country at the Olympic Games. It had always been my dream to play at the Olympics, and the feeling I got playing in that atmosphere was just surreal. It is true that we did not have the best of tournaments, but that experience is something that can help us next year in Tokyo. We have improved a lot in these four years, and I believe that our team is one of the top teams in the world right now,” said the Indian who hails from Faridkot, Punjab.

The ongoing Training and Conditioning Camp of the Indian Men’s Hockey team will conclude in Bhubaneswar this Sunday, after which the team will go on a three-week break before joining the National Camp back at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium from 29th December 2019 onwards to prepare for their FIH Hockey Pro League 2020 campaign.

Canberra (Australia), 03 December 2019: An upbeat Indian Junior Women’s Hockey team will aim to start their 3-Nations Tournament campaign with a win when they face New Zealand in their opening match here on Wednesday. The 3-Nations Tournament taking place in the Australian Capital Canberra will see the hosts, New Zealand and India play four matches each from 03 – 08 December 2019. The Indian team, under Coach Baljeet Saini, will be aiming to utilize the much-needed exposure of playing two top teams in different conditions.

The team is scheduled to take part in the AHF Women’s Junior Asia Cup next year to be held in Japan, and Saini is expecting his team to make the most of their opportunities of playing competitive hockey. “Our target in the next year is to perform well at the AHF Women’s Junior Asia Cup which will take place in 2020. This group of players has been training with us for a fair amount of time now, and to have the opportunity of playing in Australia against two top teams is a great way to prepare for the upcoming year,” said Saini.

“We are also hoping that these four matches will give us a good idea of how the team is shaping up in terms of dealing with different scenarios that you face during a match. We have a very talented bunch of players, some of which have even represented the Senior team recently, and I am really looking forward to starting the tournament tomorrow against New Zealand,” said the Coach.

The Indian Junior Women’s Team has not played against New Zealand recently, and the Coach will be keeping his eyes on the Australia – New Zealand fixture on Tuesday to get a better idea of their opponents. “We have not come across New Zealand in any tournaments that we have participated in, in the past 3-4 years. Therefore, I will be watching the opening match between Australia and New Zealand today, and will analyse their style of play, and then speak to my team during our meetings this evening and tomorrow morning before the match. I am expecting a good run of four matches against these two sides, and it will be a good test,” he said.

With their sights set on the AHF Women’s Junior Asia Cup 2020 and the next FIH Junior Women’s World Cup, the Indian Junior Women’s Hockey team will end their year with the four matches here which will take place on December 4 against New Zealand, December 5 against Australia, December 7 against New Zealand and December 8 against Australia.

For live updates on the 3 Nations Tournament, please visit https://tms.fih.ch/competitions/1148

Bhubaneswar, 02 December 2019: With Hockey India announcing Bhubaneswar and Rourkela as the host cities for the 2023 FIH Men’s World Cup, India Captain Manpreet Singh expressed excitement about the prestigious quadrennial event returning to the spectacular Kalinga Stadium. “There is no doubt that the Kalinga Stadium is one of the world’s best venues we have ever played in. It’s not only the Indian team who enjoy playing here but other teams like Belgium and the Netherlands too enjoy the crowds, the atmosphere and the infrastructure here. It is the first time that India will be hosting back-to-back World Cups and it is a matter of great pride for us. It will also be 75 years since Indian Independence in 2023 and it would be incredible if we can add to the celebrations by lifting the World Cup title,” stated Manpreet expressing his aspirations for the team.  

On Rourkela being another host city, Manpreet said, “This is great initiative taken up by Odisha Government and Hockey India. Rourkela and its surrounding region has a rich hockey culture with many of my teammates and senior players emerging from there. Hosting a major event like the World Cup there will not only boost the hockey scene further, it will also show the real hockey belt of Odisha to the world.” 

Speaking about India’s performance, Manpreet said the team is steadily improving and Hockey Pro League will test their consistency. “I think the team has grown steadily in this past year with a number of youngsters getting very good international exposure. We have a good pool of players who can be further tested during the Hockey Pro League. Although we have maintained our world ranking at No.5, our consistency will be put to test during the Hockey Pro League where we play top teams like Netherlands, Belgium and Australia in the first three months of the season,” added the midfielder.  

The Indian Men’s Hockey Team are currently based out of Bhubaneswar for the ongoing National Coaching Camp that concludes on 8 December 2019. 

Bengaluru, 28 November 2019: The Indian Junior Women’s Hockey Team left from the Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru on Thursday to take part in the 3-Nations Tournament in Canberra, Australia. The Indian Junior Women’s Hockey Team is scheduled to play two matches each against Australia and New Zealand, which will be held from 3rd December 2019 to 8th December 2019. 

The Indian Junior Women’s Hockey Team Coach Baljeet Singh Saini expressed that the 3-Nations tournament will serve as perfect preparation for the Junior Asia Cup.
“The Indian Junior Women’s Hockey Team is very confident to take on Australia and New Zealand. We have a good side and the team has been training well. The 3-Nations tournament is very important for us since this competition will be the perfect preparation for the Junior Asia Cup, which will be held in Japan in April next year. We are looking to book a place in the Junior World Cup through a good performance at the Junior Asia Cup. Australia and New Zealand are tough opponents and it’s going to be a good competition for us, but I feel, the tougher the competition, the better it is for our team,” said Indian Junior Women’s Hockey Team Coach Baljeet Singh Saini.
The Indian Junior Women’s Hockey Team will play their first match against New Zealand on Wednesday, 4th December 2019 at 1230hrs IST in Canberra, following which they will play against Australia on Thursday, 5th December 2019 at 1230hrs IST. The Junior Women’s Hockey Team will then face New Zealand and Australia for the second time on 7th December 2019 and 8th December 2019 respectively. 

The Indian Junior Women’s Hockey Team will be certainly looking to take their game a notch higher after an impressive performance in a five-match series against Belarus in June. The Indian Junior Women’s Hockey Team drew the series 2-2 after winning the last match 6-0 against Belarus, earlier this year.

Bhubaneswar, 27 November 2019: To mark the one-year anniversary since the commencement of the Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018, a spectacular event was held in Bhubaneswar today, which saw Hockey India announce the cities of Bhubaneswar and Rourkela as the venues for the 2023 FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup, a bid which was yet again won by Hockey India.

The mega announcement by Hon’ble Chief Minister of Odisha Shri Naveen Patnaik was made in the presence of dignitaries including Honourable Sports Minister, Government of Odisha Mr. Tusharkanti Behera, Chief Secretary Government of Odisha Mr. Asit Kumar Tripathy, FIH President Dr Narinder Dhruv Batra, Development Commission-cum-Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Odisha Mr. Suresh Chandra Mahapatra, Hockey India President Mohd Mushtaque Ahmad, Chairman of Hockey Promotion Council Padma Shri Dr. Dilip Tirkey, Secretary-cum-Commissioner, Department of Sports & Youth Services, Government of Odisha Mr. Vishal Kumar Dev, and Director, Department of Sports & Youth Services, Government of Odisha Mr. R Vineel Krishna, were among other top officials from Hockey India and Government of Odisha. The Indian Men’s Hockey Team, currently based in Bhubaneswar for National Coaching Camp, were also present during the announcement. 

On this momentous occasion, FIH President Dr. Narinder Dhruv Batra said: “On behalf of FIH, I would like to extend our sincerest thanks to the Government of Odisha and Hon’ble Chief Minister of Odisha Shri Naveen Patnaik in particular for their great and permanent support to hockey over the years. This really is remarkable and contributes to grow our sport not only in India but in the world also. Our thanks also go to Hockey India for their dedication and efforts to put together an unforgettable event.”

The precision in which the Odisha Men’s Hockey World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 was conducted, and the grandeur of the marquee event drew several accolades from the hockey fraternity worldwide. The unparalleled support by Government of Odisha towards the development of hockey, their vision to provide state-of-the-art infrastructure like none other in the world, and the government’s willingness to invest in the event were some of the key reasons to name the State as the venue for the prestigious event in 2023. 

Thierry Weil, CEO, FIH resonated Dr Batra’s views and stated: “We are glad to come back to Odisha where everyone, from the fans to the teams and the officials, had such a great experience a year ago. Conscious of the costs generated by the organization of such world events, we think that using existing facilities – especially when they are of the quality of those provided in Bhubaneswar – is a real advantage. Also, the income-generation potential of the bid submitted by Hockey India will contribute to the development of hockey worldwide, which is the first mission of the International Hockey Federation. Furthermore, we will work closely with Hockey India on the sustainability and legacy aspects of the 2023 FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup.”

As a State that is rapidly gaining popularity as the Sports Capital of India, announcing the return of the World Cup to Odisha on the one-year anniversary of the FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup 2018 which ensured top-class infrastructure, safety parameters for traveling teams, delegates and fans from across the globe, it was imperative to consider Odisha as an ideal venue for the FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup in 2023. “When we decided to bid for the 2023 FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup, we had about five states that showed interest in hosting the coveted event in 2023. Having successfully hosted the 2018 Men’s World Cup here in Bhubaneswar, it was important for Hockey India to raise the bar further and ensure the next event is bigger and better than what world hockey saw in 2018. Hockey India shares an excellent working relationship with the Government of Odisha whose vision for the sport aligns with ours. In terms of economics involved in hosting an event of this magnitude, Government of Odisha’s support was unmatched and I am confident the world will witness yet another incredible World Cup in 2023,” stated Mohd Mushtaque Ahmad, President, Hockey India.  

In a bid to contribute towards the growth of the sport in India, Honourable Chief Minister Shri Naveen Patnaik also announced at the event today that all 17 blocks of Sundargarh district would be equipped with synthetic pitches, and the event also saw the Hon’ble Chief Minister lay down the foundation stone for a staggering 17 synthetic pitches in Sundargarh district– which is a breeding ground for hockey in India. An ambitious Hockey Grassroots Program by Hockey India too was announced during the event today, which will see the federation closely work with the Department of Sports and Youth Services, Government of Odisha for the development of the sport at the grassroots’ level. It was also announced in the event, a permanent facility will be constructed near the practice pitch of the Kalinga Stadium for establishment of a High Performance Centre.

Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Naveen Patnaik expressed his delight at Odisha hosting the 2023 edition of the tournament, “Odisha has always been the cradle of hockey, and with the successful organising of the Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018, we showcased a very different side of our state. We have always had a very passionate crowd which supports the sport of hockey, and with the presence of world-class, top-of-the-line facilities in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela, it swells my heart with great pride that Odisha will once again be celebrating the festival of hockey when we host the FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup in January 2023.”

The 15,000 plus fans present at the stadium for today’s announcement, roared with excitement when the Hon’ble Chief Minister announced the World Cup would be returning to Odisha in 2023.

The Government of Odisha further placed emphasis on their commitment towards the sport, as they announced that the Kalinga Stadium, Odisha, will be part of the full-fledged Hockey High Performance.

Bengaluru, 23 November 2019: Back in the Sports Authority of India, Bengaluru for National Coaching Camp, it is business as usual for the Indian Women’s Hockey Team albeit with greater focus now on a podium finish at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. Following a review meeting earlier this week, the team will bank on their ‘fearless attitude’ as they approach the next seven-eight months of preparations for the quadrennial extravaganza. 

“The review meeting earlier this week was not all about ‘well done, congratulations’ but it was more about how we almost threw away the second match. I expressed my anger without mincing any words. The way we played the first two quarters in the second match against USA in the Olympic Qualifiers was something we never want to repeat again,” stated Sjoerd Marijne, as he recalled the exchange of views about the team’s performance against USA during the review meeting involving players and support staff. 

“A major take away from that match was the team’s ability to fight back. That is the quality I really like about this team. They will never give up and they have on several occasions shown that burning desire to win and to play at home against a strong team calls for a lot of nerves,” he added. 

In the coming months the team have a rigorous regime starting with a tour of New Zealand in January 2020. “We have chartered out our plans for the next seven months and we have a clear vision of what we need to improve on and the level we seek to achieve ahead of the Olympics. While we play some very good teams in the lead up to the Olympics where we look forward to achieving consistent performance, it is very important to keep the players’ minds and legs fresh. We have decided to be based out of SAI, Bengaluru all along because this feels like home for us and every minute aspect such as the environment we train in, and support system we have here plays a major factor in our preparations,” Marijne explained. 

Please find attached photos of the Indian Women’s Hockey Team. 

New Delhi, 21 November 2019: With close to two months to go for the second edition of the much-anticipated FIH Hockey Pro League 2020, Hockey India on Thursday announced that the sale of online tickets for the Indian home matches will go live today from 1100hrs IST onwards. It will be the first time that India will be participating in the FIH Hockey Pro League 2020, which will see the Indian Men’s Hockey Team play hosts to the likes of The Netherlands, Belgium, Australia and New Zealand in a total of eight matches which will take place at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium in Bhubaneswar spanned from 18th January – 24 May 2020. 

The six-month long FIH Hockey Pro League 2020 will see World No. 5 Indian Men’s Hockey Team start off their campaign by hosting World No. 3 The Netherlands in two home matches on 18th and 19th January 2020, which will be followed by the Indian team playing two more home matches against the World Champions, Belgium on 8th and 9th February 2020 at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium.

India, who recently qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games by defeating Russia in the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers Odisha held in Bhubaneswar, will then be hosting World No. 1 Australia for two home matches on 21st and 22nd February 2020. These home matches will be followed by the Indian team touring World No. 6 Germany in April 2020, and Great Britain in May 2020 to play their away matches. The Indian Men’s team will then return to their nation to host World No. 9 New Zealand on 23rd and 24th May 2020, which will be the last two home matches for India in this year’s FIH Hockey Pro League.

The tickets for India’s eight home matches of the FIH Hockey Pro League 2020, to be held at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium, are priced at INR 200 for the South and North Stands, INR 300 for East Stand, and INR 500 for West Stand.

Ticketgenie Solutions Pvt Ltd is the official ticket sales agency for the FIH Hockey Pro League 2020, and will make the tickets available online at 1100hrs IST on Thursday, 21st November 2019 onwards at  https://in.ticketgenie.in/Tickets/FIH-Hockey-Pro-League-2020

Mohd Mushtaque Ahmad, President, Hockey India, spoke on the launch of sale of online tickets, “FIH Hockey Pro League 2020 is one of the most anticipated tournaments for us in the upcoming season. We will be playing our home matches in front of packed crowds who will be witnessing hockey at its best at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium, thereby making this new league a great spectacle for the fans. We are all very excited to kick-off our campaign in the FIH Hockey Pro League 2020 with the support of our fans, and with the launch of the sale of online tickets today, our fans from across the country will be able to book their spots to witness the best players in action, and rejoice in the festival of hockey.”

The date for online redemption of the tickets, and physical sale of tickets will be announced in due course.

New Delhi, 15 November 2019: Hockey India on Friday named the 18-member Indian Junior Women’s Team for the 3-Nations Tournament scheduled from 03 – 08 December 2019 in Canberra, Australia, which also involves Junior Women’s teams from hosts Australia and New Zealand.

The 3 Nations Tournament will see India play a total of four matches – two each against Australia and New Zealand. The tournament starts on 3rd December 2019 when the hosts take on New Zealand, while India will play their opening match on 4th December 2019 against New Zealand.

The Indian Junior Women’s Team will be Captained by Suman Devi Thoudam and Vice-Captained by Ishika Chaudhary. Bichu Devi Kharibam and Rashanpreet Kaur have been selected as the Goalkeepers who will guard the goal-posts, while the out-field players include Ishika Chaudhary, Suman Devi Thoudam, Priyanka, Mahima Choudhary, Marina Lalramnghaki, Gagandeep Kaur, Prabhleen Kaur, Mariana Kujur, Chetna, Reet, Baljeet Kaur, Ajmina Kujur, Beauty Dungdung, Deepika, Lalrindiki and Sharmila Devi, who recently represented the Senior Women’s team at the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers Odisha. 

Speaking about the team selection, Indian Junior Women’s Hockey Team’s Coach, Baljeet Singh, said, “We had a good experience earlier this year when we took part in matches in Ireland and Belarus, and we are expecting a tougher challenge this time in Australia. The players who have been selected in the side provide some good options for us, both defensively and going forward. Playing against the likes of Australia and New Zealand will give the players a wealth of experience, and shall help us in performing at a high intensity consistently.”

INDIAN JUNIOR WOMEN’S TEAM: 

1. Bichu Devi Kharibam

2. Rashanpreet Kaur

3. Ishika Chaudhary (Vice-Captain)

4. Suman Devi Thoudam (Captain)

5. Priyanka

6. Mahima Choudhary

7. Marina Lalramnghaki

8. Gagandeep Kaur

9. Prabhleen Kaur

10. Mariana Kujur

11. Chetna

12. Reet

13. Baljeet Kaur

14. Ajmina Kujur

15. Beauty Dungdung

16. Sharmila Devi

17. Deepika

18. Lalrindiki

Hockey India on Friday congratulated former India Skipper Sandeep Singh on being named as the sports minister of Haryana after he turned out for the BJP in the recent state assembly elections and won from Pehowa seat. He took oath as a Minister of the State on Thursday and was named sports minister earlier today. 

Sandeep Singh has been an inspiration par excellence in field hockey and has overcome personal struggles and a life-threatening injury only to return to the hockey pitch, winning several accolades for the country. He made his international debut in 2004 at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup and his mercurial rise as India’s ace drag flicker saw him ascend to the Captain’s role in 2009. 

Under his captaincy, the Indian team clinched the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in 2009 defeating hosts Malaysia – a feat India achieved after 13 years of wait. He was the recipient of the Arjuna Award in 2010.

“I highly commend Sandeep Singh’s commitment towards sports. He was a huge inspiration to thousands of aspiring hockey players in the country and many have followed his footsteps. He was among the best drag flickers in the world and he led the Indian national team from the front. On behalf of Hockey India, I wish him the very best as he takes charge as the sports minister of Haryana. Under his leadership, I am sure he will improve sports at the grassroots and make Haryana a flourishing state in sports. We look forward to working with him to develop hockey in that region,” stated Md. Mushtaque Ahmad, President, Hockey India.

New Delhi, 26 July 2019: Hockey India on Friday named the 18-member Indian Women’s Hockey team for the forthcoming Tokyo Olympics 2020 Test Event scheduled to take place in Tokyo, Japan from 17th – 21st August 2019. The Indian team will be Captained by Rani and Vice-Captained by Savita.

Under Chief Coach Sjoerd Marijne, the composition of the team has remained similar to the one which participated at the FIH Women’s Series Finals Hiroshima 2019, with the Dutchman having opted for only two changes in the 18-member team selected for the Tokyo Olympics 2020 Test Event. Youngsters Sharmila Devi and Reena Khokhar have come into the team, with Sunita Lakra and Jyoti giving way. Khokhar had been sidelined due to injury but makes a comeback into the side after recovering successfully, while Sharmila Devi will be expecting to make her debut for the national side.

The Indian team, currently ranked No. 10 in the FIH Rankings, will be facing tough challenges as they will be up against the likes of World No. 2 Australia, World No. 11 China and hosts Japan who are currently ranked 14th in the FIH Rankings.

The team consists of experienced Goalkeepers Savita and Rajani Etimarpu, who will look to guard India’s goalpost, while Defenders Deep Grace Ekka, Reena Khokhar, Gurjit Kaur, Salima Tete, and Nisha have also been included in the 18-member team. Midfielders Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam, Nikki Pradhan, Monika, Lilima Minz and Neha Goyal will look to command the midfield. Rani, Navneet Kaur, Vandana Katariya, Lalremsiami, Navjot Kaur and Sharmila Devi are the Forwards who have been picked in the team.

“We are looking forward to playing three top countries at the Tokyo Olympics 2020 Test Event as I rate them all highly. We have selected a squad of 18 players where only 16 players will be allowed to play in accordance to the Olympic standards. I will be very interested to see how we fare against these countries, and what we need to improve for the FIH Olympic Qualifiers because everything that we do, will be focused on that. We will be learning good lessons in this tour regardless of whatever happens,” said Chief Coach Sjoerd Marijne looking ahead to the event.

Indian Women’s Hockey Team:

1. Savita (GK) – (Vice Captain)

2. Rajani Etimarpu (GK)

3. Deep Grace Ekka

4. Reena Khokhar

5. Gurjit Kaur

6. Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam

7. Salima Tete

8. Nisha

9. Nikki Pradhan

10. Monika

11. Lilima Minz

12. Neha Goyal

13. Rani – (Captain)

14. Navneet Kaur

15. Vandana Katariya

16. Lalremsiami

17. Navjot Kaur

18. Sharmila Devi

New Delhi, 19 July 2019: After a successful first phase of the Hockey India Coaching Education Pathway which was launched earlier this year in April 2019, Hockey India has announced that the next phase of the Pathway will be conducted from August to September 2019 in order to further develop more Coaches from the grassroots and enable them to meet the requirements and the ever-growing demands of International hockey. 
In its first phase, the meticulously-designed program provided certification to those candidates who were already Coaches or wished to pursue Coaching as a career option. Candidates who successfully completed the Hockey India Coaching Course Level ‘Basic’, Hockey India Coaching Course Level ‘1’ and Hockey India Coaching Course Level ‘2’ Coaching Courses, became eligible for the FIH Level 1 Course which was conducted during this year’s FIH Men’s Series Finals 2019 which took place in Bhubaneswar, Odisha in June.
The next phase of the Hockey India Coaching Education Pathway is also aimed at giving more candidates the opportunity to enroll themselves into this simplified education structure which will provide them certification to develop themselves from being Coaches at the grassroots’ level to being high performance/ International level Coaches. Candidates can enroll themselves for the Courses by applying through their Hockey India State Permanent/Associate Member Unit by filling the Hockey India Coach Registration form.
The Hockey India Coaching Education Pathway consists of a combination of web-based modules, face-to-face interactive courses, online quizzes, online assignments/workbook, underpinned by a competency based assessment process. These courses are elementary courses for the FIH Academy Coaching courses, and further help the candidates in graduating towards the FIH Academy Coaching courses.
Speaking on Hockey India’s revolutionary initiative which is unparalleled across various other sports in the country, Mohd Mushtaque Ahmad, President, Hockey India, said: “We had a very successful first phase of the Hockey India Coaching Education Pathway earlier this year which helped the candidates in having a proper platform to progress in their respective coaching careers. The program is carefully designed to ensure it is simple yet effective for those pursuing it. The first phase saw upcoming Coaches from around the country show tremendous passion for the sport, and take part in the Hockey India Coaching Education Pathway. We at Hockey India believe this will help bring about the right structure of playing at a very basic level and we are certain this will have a positive impact on the national teams too. I am confident that the next phase will be an even bigger success in terms of aiding in the development of coaches across the country.”   

The last date for nomination of candidates and submission of Coach Registration form for the next phase is 25 July 2019 by 1700 hours. The last date for submission of registration fee for HI Level ‘Basic’, HI level ‘1’, HI Level ‘2’ Courses is 25 July 2019 by 1700 hours. Nominations are accepted only through the respective Hockey India State Member Unit and as per the Eligibility Criteria of the Hockey India Coaching Education Pathway.

For further information, please visit http://hockeyindia.org/hockey-india-coaching-education-pathway-2