Field hockey in India

Field hockey is the national game of India. [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/news/story?id=3286429] ]

Management

Indian Hockey Federation

The "Indian Hockey Federation" was the Indian branch of the International Hockey Federation. In April, 2008, Kandaswamy Jothikumaran, the IHF's Secretary General, resigned after a television show accused him of corruption. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7360298.stm] ] K. P. S. Gill, IHF chief for 14 years, lost his position [http://sports.in.msn.com/stories/article.aspx?cp-documentid=1360796] when the Indian Hockey Federation was suspended by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on April 28. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7371799.stm] ]

New Committee (IOA)

The Indian Olympic Association appointed a new five-member national selection committee. This panel will work in conjunction with the International Field Hockey Federation in managing hockey in India. [ [http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5gDzU3VRFYZc_-9Kyof9Mt6XFD2oA] ] The panel was headed by Aslam Sher Khan, a former MP and former hockey captain and includes Ashok Kumar, Ajit Pal Singh, Zafar Iqbal and Dhanraj Pillay. Aslam Sher Khan has now been replaced by Ajit Pal Singh as the chairman of the national selection committee. Aslam Sher Khan was highly displeased by this decision, though he remained as a selector. [ [http://sify.com/sports/hockey/fullstory.php?id=14658820] ] [ [http://sports.in.msn.com/stories/article.aspx?cp-documentid=1363565] ] In a 30 April 2008 interview with "India Today", Khan indicated the impact of the 2007 film about the National Women's Hockey Team, "Chak De India", on his future strategy by stating that he wants "to create a 'Chak De' effect" within Indian hockey. [ [http://indiatoday.digitaltoday.in/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7649&issueid=51&Itemid=1] ]

National teams

National men's team

The "Indian Hockey Team" is the national men's field hockey team of India. It was the first non-European team to be a part of the International Hockey Federation. In 1928, the team won its first Olympic gold medal. From 1928 to 1956, the Indian men's team remained unbeaten in the Olympics, garnering six gold medals in a row. The Indian team has won a total of eight gold, one silver and two bronze medals in Olympics.

On 9 March 2008, India lost 2-0 to Britain at Santiago, Chile in the final of one of the three qualifying tournaments for the Beijing Olympics. With only the winner advancing to the 12-team event, [ [http://ibnlive.com/news/it-felt-like-there-was-a-death-in-the-family/60849-5.html] ] the Indian men's team was eliminated from the Beijing Olympics competition. This is the first time that the Indian men's team will not participate in the Olympics since 1928. [ [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/India_fails_to_make_it_to_Olympic_hockey/articleshow/2850858.cms] ]

National women's team

The "Indian Women's Hockey Team" is the national women's team representing field hockey in India. Captain Suraj Lata Devi led the team to the Gold for three consecutive years: during the 2002 Commonwealth Games (the event which inspired the 2007 Bollywood hit film, "Chak De India"), the 2003 Afro-Asian Games, and the 2004 Hockey Asia Cup. They were referred to as the assi (Jasjeet) jaisi koi nahi or "Golden girls of hockey," after winning the 2004 Hockey Asia Cup. [ [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/497363.cms] ]

On 24 April 2008, India lost 2-1 to the United States during the 2008 Women's Field Hockey Olympic Qualifier. The team was thus eliminated from the Beijing Olympics competition. On 29 April 2008, following the suspension of the "Indian Hockey Federation," [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7371799.stm] ] The "Hindustan Times " revealed that 16 days before leaving for the games, a report found many of the players to be unfit for international competition. The report was quoted as stating, "Eleven girls are suffering from different injuries and are under treatment and thus not fit for international competition of Olympic qualifying standards." [ [http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-Olympics/idUSBOM21350920080429?sp=true] ]

tate teams and events

National tournaments

#All India MCC Murugappa Gold Cup Hockey Tournament, Chennai [T.N.]
#All India Gurmeet Memorial Hockey Tournament, Chandigarh [Punjab]
#IndianOil Surjit Hockey Tournament, Jalandhar [Punjab]
#All India Chhatrapati Shivaji Hockey Tournament, Delhi
#All India Aagha Khan Hockey Tournament, Mumbai [Maharashtra]
#All India Bombay Gold Cup Hockey Tournament, Mumbai [Maharashtra]
#All India Obaidullah Khan Gold Cup Hockey Tournament, Bhopal [M.P.]
#All India Jawaharlal Nehru Hockey Tournament, Delhi
#All India Lal Bahadur Shastri Hockey Tournament, Delhi
#All India Sanjay Hockey Tournament, Delhi
#All India K D singh Babu Memorial Invitational Prize Money Hockey Tournament, Lucknow [U.P.]
#All India Ramesh Chander Memorial Hockey Tournament, Jalandhar [Punjab]
#All India Liberals Hockey Tournament, Nabha
#All India Shri Shadilal Rajendra Lal Memorial Hockey Tournament, Shamli [U.P.]
#All India Indira Gold Cup Hockey Tournament, Jammu [J & K]
#All India Beighton Cup Hockey Tournament, Kolkata [W.B]
#All India G.P.Kuppuswami Naidu Hockey Tournament, Kovilpatti [T.N.]
#Senior National Hockey Tournament
#Junior National Hockey Tournament
#Sub-junior National Hockey Tournament
#Amarjeet Singh Shergill Memorial Hockey Tournament Chakdana,Nawanshahr,Punjab
#Bundel Khand All India Hockey Tournament, Mahoba (U.P.)
#Republic All India Hockey Tournament, Katni, M.P.
#All India Hockey Tournament,Damoh,M.P.
#All India Hockey Tournament,Indore,M.P.
#All India Hockey Tournament,Mhow,M.P.
#All India Hockey Tournament,Ujjain,M.P.
#All India Hockey Tournament,Tikamgarh,M.P.
#All India Hockey Tournament,Ratlam,M.P.
#All India Hockey Tournament,Khargon,M.P.
#All India Hockey Tournament,Hoshangabad,M.P.
#All India Hockey Tournament,Balaghat,M.P.
#Bhagat Singh All India Hockey Tournament,Gwalior,M.P.
# Kodava Hockey Festival

Premier Hockey League

The Indian Hockey Federation also conducts the Premier Hockey League (PHL), a domestic field hockey tournament in India since 2005, with active support from sports news channel ESPN India. The tournament was initiated to revive interest in the sport which was losing spectator interest to cricket in recent times.

References

External links

* [http://www.indianhockey.com/ Indian Hockey Website]
* [http://sports.indiatimes.com/FIHs_warning_forced_IOA_to_act_Kumar/articleshow/2996281.cms FIH's warning forced IOA to act: Ashok Kumar]
* [http://www.bharatiyahockey.org/ Bhartiya Hockey Website]