One might be amazed to know that Hockey is one of the world’s most ancient games. It would be more shocking to decipher that it is older than even the ancient Olympic Games.
When the topic of Indian hockey comes up, we all start remembering the golden age. The amazing period between 1928 and 1956, when Indian hockey conquered all that came in front of it, and won six consecutive gold medals in the Olympics. But slowly as the time moved ahead story was not the same and the scenario remained elusive for the blue shirts.
And presently the situations have taken the complete U-turn for Indian men’s hockey team; they are on a continuous path to retain all the accomplished entity and glory on the global level. Almost after a decade Indian hockey team risen from the dust and came under the lime light with all its hardships and efforts and mainly because of the determination of returning the defender champion nation its recognition back. But the story behind how the entity of Indian Hockey came into existence is no less fascinating.
From 1928 to 1956, was the peak time for Indian hockey team, when it brought all the six successive Olympic gold medals home that were held during those years. The result of the death of the Indian star of hockey Dhyan Chand was perhaps the end of India’s glory. After which the Astroturf which is still a rarity in India was introduced and the migration of Anglo Indians who were the hockey players to Australia happened. Recently few wins have grasped the interest and attention of Indian’s in the forgotten game.
It’s a child’s play for India till semifinals, where they have to face either Pakistan (ranked 13) or Malaysia (ranked 12). As per the rankings, it is cakewalk for India as they are the only side in the competition to be placed inside top 10 in the world in Asian Games. And looking at their amazing start it definitely seems that nothing would satisfy the top ranked Indian men’s hockey team less than a gold medal.
Presently Indian Hockey team is in Indonesia for the 18th Asian Games. India that is world no. 5 are to be challenged by their pool A rivals- Korea (ranked 14), Japan (ranked 16), Sri Lanka (ranked 38), Hong Kong China (ranked 45) and Indonesia.
India v/s Indonesia
Reigning Champions India continued their winning streak at the 18th Asian Games as the Indian men’s Hockey team opened there account by defeating the home team dreadfully. India hammered Indonesia by 17-0 on 20th August 2018.In the match hat-trick was scored by three Indian players.
Dilpreet Singh (6th, 29th, 32nd min), Simranjeet Singh (13th, 38th, 53rd) and Mandeep Singh (29th, 44th, 49th) scored a hat-trick each for India, while Rupinder Pal Singh (1st, 2nd), Akashdeep Singh (10th, 44th), S V Sunil (25th), Vivek Sagar (26th), Harmanpreet Singh (31st) and Amit Rohidas (54th) were the other scorers.
It looked like a goal feast for India as Indonesia is not considered as the competition for India. Indonesia’s involvement in the match has much to do with the fact they are hosting the Asian Games.
India v/s Hong Kong
Next India played against Hong Kong on 22nd August. And the show is considered as the biggest tournament victory for India at the Asian Games in which Indian men’s hockey team not verbally but practically as well thrashed the Hong Kong by marking their victory with 26-0.
Present Indian men’s hockey team broke an 86 year old record, as they scored the goal in every 2 minutes, which was made in 1932 Olympics by defeating the United States by 24-1.
S.V. Sunil (7th minute), Dilpreet Singh (12th), Rupinder Pal Singh (17th, 38th), Mandeep Singh (32th, 57th), Akashdeep Singh (46th) and Vivek Sagar Prasad (47th) scored in India’s clean win. India turned eight of the 23 shots on goal. Six among them were field goals including one PC and one penalty stroke.
India v/s Japan
Indian team came up with a commanding performance against Japan as they defeated Japan by 8-0. After two wins by huge margin this was comparatively the tougher match for defending champions, still the easier against the world no. 16. PR Sreejesh, Indian goalkeeper who spent 46 minutes on the turf, was attacked only few times during the entire duration of the match. This was Japan’s first loss; it already triumphed over Sri Lanka and Indonesia.
All eyes are firm to see whether India will be able to book its berth for 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
When the topic of Indian hockey comes up, we all start remembering the golden age. The amazing period between 1928 and 1956, when Indian hockey conquered all that came in front of it, and won six consecutive gold medals in the Olympics. But the story behind how the entity of Indian Hockey came into existence is no less fascinating.
WHEN HOCKEY MADE US PROUD
Before Cricket took the minds control of Indians, Indian Hockey was the real obsession for the nation. It was also rumored that hockey was the national sport of India but was later declined by the Government of India. The sport became even more popular in the early 20th century by Dhyan Chand, leading the sensational Indian team.
Lets twist the sand of time and remember the moments that filled our hearts with pride:
1. Asia Games – 1966
India joined played against the neighbor Pakistan in the final after beating Malaysia, Sri Lanka and South Korea. It was a battle for attrition against Pakistan as the match was much-hyped. Those were the days when the Indians were looking to repeat their 1964 Olympics win and the two neighboring countries clashed in only International tournaments. Balbir singh became the instant hero by joining the match in the second half of the extra time and fortuitously scoring the match winner.
2. World Cup 1975
1975 world cup team
The third edition of men’s field hockey world championship was in 1975. India secured the third place at the first edition in 1971 and after two years in 1973 they performed better and they made it to the finals.
They won over the host Malaysia in the semi-finals and in the finals defeated their arch-rivals Pakistan. As the team was prepared under the patronage of a State government so the victory was the special one.
3. Olympic Games 1980
Indian Hockey Team won Gold at 1980 Olympics
In the finals India defeated Spain and eventually ended with a victory by 4-3, in Moscow Olympics in 1980. It was a piece of a smooth walk for India as U.S-led boycott six of the strongest hockey sides- New Zealand, Australia and Pakistan, West Germany and Holland – withdrew from the Olympics.
4. Commonwealth Games 2002 (Indian Women’s hockey team)
The Indian women’s hockey team did not saw much success before Commonwealth 2002. In the semi-final India defeated New Zealand and in the final faced England. Indian won the gold medal by defeating them with the score of 3-2 at the end of the regulation time.
This rare glory of Indian women’s team served as the inspiration for Chak De! India, starring Shah Rukh Khan in 2007.
5. Asian Games 2014
The Indians had a purpose to perform well in 2014 Asian Games, as those who won in this year Asian Games would get qualified automatically for Rio Olympics 2016.
India won the Gold medal, after 16 years in Asian Games men’s hockey competition and thus earned an immediate opportunity to play in the 2016 Summer Olympics hockey tournament.
6. Hockey World League 2015
For 33 years, in a major FIH tournament The Indian men’s team had failed to win a single medal. But they eventually managed to break the failure by winning bronze in the Hockey World League finals held in Raipur, when they defeated Netherlands, in a tense fixture.
7. Champions Trophy 2016
In the United Kingdom Indian Hockey team gave their best performance in recent times when they bagged the silver medal at 2016 Champions Trophy. Back in 1982 they had won only one bronze medal at the tournament.
With their brave display, the Indian team won a lot of hearts when they held Australia to a goalless draw at the end of regular time but eventually went down in the shootout.
Hockey is history in itself
In the late nineteenth century, the British Empire made hockey popular in the Indian sub-continent. In 1885, in Calcutta the first hockey club was formed and it is widely believed that India’s journey in hockey can be traced back to this time.
But Nikhilesh Bhattacharya, a PhD fellow has researched at the Olympic Studies Centre in Switzerland and The Hockey Museum in the United Kingdom the roots of Indian hockey, is not so sure. There is no conclusive evidence to establish the year according to him.
In February 1864, Captain Joseph Ford Sherer of the 49th Bengal Native Infantry by the Calcutta Hockey Club was presented a silver tankard that is still hold by The National Army Museum in the UK.
The date is remarkable, because that would mean the entity of the sport in India before the foundation of the Teddington Hockey Club in England in 1871, which evolved the rules of modern field hockey.
During that time, no major national tournaments were organized. In 1895, in Bombay Beighton Cup in Calcutta and Aga Khan Tournament were organized.
What was mentioned as hockey at that time was not field hockey as we know it, but polo, as per the Bhattacharya’s clarification.
“It is important to remember that in India in the 19th century, hockey often referred to a game played on horseback. Hence, it would be naive to assume that all the so-called ‘hockey’ clubs at that time played the game as we know it now. We do have proof of a field hockey tournament called the Beighton Cup coming into existence in Calcutta in 1895, followed by the Aga Khan Cup in Bombay in 1896. The launch of tournaments would suggest the game was being played widely in the two cities, at least, but for how many years, it is difficult to say.” -Nikhilesh Bhattacharya
One of the oldest running hockey tournaments in the world is the Beighton Cup. It is organized even now by the Bengal Hockey Association; the growth of hockey was shaped by this tournament only in the country, giving it a frame of reference and adding to the popularity of it. Legendary Hockey player Dhyan Chand once said it was his life’s goal to win the Beighton Cup, which eventually he accomplished in 1933 with his team the Jhansi Heroes.
BEGINNING HUMBLY
The year 1908 saw the starting point of the Bengal Hockey Association, a signal that hockey was widely spreading in the province, with sufficient clubs to permit the formation of a governing body. But the true indicator that symbolized the emergence of hockey’s popularity in India was the publication of a book written by an Englishman named Walter Troup with the title Hockey in India and How to Play It with Rules of the Game and Explanatory Notes.
In the book, writer mentions various clubs name playing hockey across northern and western India, which involved the Bombay Gymkhana Club, United Provinces Police Team, the Naini Tal Volunteers and the Jhansi Railway Institute Hockey Team.
In fact, a look at the winners of the first few Beighton Cups also invalidate the prevalent concept that hockey was strictly a sport limited to the army, but teams from civilian clubs, educational institutions, the police, railways and other departments were also actively involved.
One of the other fascinating fact about the Troup’s book is that on the title page there is a small footnote that says that it is also available in Hindi and Urdu.
“I have not seen extant copies of the book in those languages, but the very fact that Troup was looking at readership in the regional languages indicates that hockey in India held an interest to people beyond the English-speaking classes.” -Nikhilesh Bhattacharya
The story then moves ahead to when the Indian Olympic Association was founded in 1919, and with the help of Dorabji Tata the philanthropic, the first Indian squad was sent to Antwerp in 1920.
MARKING GLORY ON WORLD STAGE
It was in 1928 that for the first time world saw the foot fall of Indian hockey team in the Olympics, but even before that India had conquered the world. In 1926, the Indian Army team toured New Zealand containing Dhyan Chand and won almost every game they played on that tour. The eyes of every hockey fan all across the world were fixed on them, by then India had left its imprint on the hockey world.
India remained the undisputed champions in men’s hockey. Indian team conquered everything that came before them in the first three matches at the Olympics that was in 1928, 1932, and 1936. The victory of 1936 becomes the oral history in which one of the finest Indian team with Dhyan Chand in lead defeated mighty Germany with 8-1 in the final.
In Olympics between 1928 and 1936, no team from Great Britain or its integral parts like England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales took part. It became one of the biggest regrets for the legend Dhyan Chand for his entire life that he did not get the opportunity to beat the rulers at their own game.
But, the 1948 Olympics hockey tournament became the story of a historic moment when India reached the finals and the opponents in front of them were their own Colonial ruler, Great Britain, which made a comeback to the world event. And, India triumphed the tournament after achieving the prolonged needed Independence and took the much-awaited revenge by thrashing Britain by 4-0.
THROUGH WHOM INDIAN HOCKEY IS RECOGNIZED
1. Dhyan Chand
He is the greatest player to ever grace this ancient game, he was widely known as ‘The Wizard’ because of his brilliant stick-work and ball control. It would be shocking to know that his actual name was Dhyan Singh by birth but his teammates named him Dhyan Chand because he used to practice in night when generally the moon, chand is visible.
won three Olympic Gold medals for India
Amsterdam (1928),
Los Angeles (1932)
Berlin (1936) Olympics.
highest goal scorer in hockey, with over 400 goals across his career.
His birthday 29th August is celebrated as national sports day.
India’s highest award for lifetime achievement in sports is named after him – Dhyan Chand Award.
He is the only beneficiary among hockey players of the Padma Bhushan (1956) – India’s third highest civilian award.
It was widely rumored that he applied glue and magnet on his hockey stick to stick the ball, which of course was false. So to prove it wrong he once reportedly used a lady spectator’s walking stick to score a goal.
Along with that he was also offered the German citizenship by the German dictator, Hitler so that he could represent West Germany, which the army man rejected.
2. Balbir Singh Sr.
In the history of sports Balbir Singh Sr. is the only player to have recorded five goals in an Olympic match where the total score was 6-1against Netherlands in finals and alone he scored 5 goals.
Became second Indian to win three Olympic gold medals
London (1948),
Helsinki (1952)
Melbourne (1956).
Captained the team at the Melbourne Olympics
Was the second in command at Helsinki.
Represented the Indian team which returned with silver medals from the 1958 and 1962 Asian Games
Took charge of the Indian team as the coach, and finished on 3rd placed at the 1971 Hockey World Cup and later won the 1975 World Cup
First sports personality to win the Padma Shri award in 1957.
Only Indian and only hockey player to feature in the top 16 most iconic Olympians of all time
3. Dhanraj Pillay
Although Dhanraj pillay was not born in the golden age but his name is at the tip of the tongue when it comes to the name of players who mesmerized us with intricate stickwork and mazy dribbling.
Only player to have represented the country in 4 Olympics (1992, 1996, 2000 and 2004),
4 World Cups (1990, 1994, 1998 and 2002),
4 Asian Games (1990, 1994, 1998 and 2002) and
4 Champions Trophies (1995, 1996, 2002 and 2003).
Under his captaincy, India won the 1998 Asian Games and 2003 Asian Cup.
In 339 appearances for the national team, Pillay has scored 170 goals.
Received the Padma Shri Award, Arjuna Award and is the only hockey player to have been awarded the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award.
4. Leslie Claudius
In 1927, Claudius was born in the town of Bilaspur in Chattisgarh the then Bihar. He along with Udham Singh has won the most Olympic medals for India (3 Gold and 1 Silver).
Claudius is considered to be the best half-back in the history of the sport.
First player to have represented India in four consecutive Olympics and win 100 caps.
Claudius was manager of Indian team at the 1978 Asian Games in Bangkok, where India finished 2nd, losing final to Pakistan.
Felicitated with the Padma Shri Award in 1971
5. Udham Singh
Udham Singh, originally from Jalandhar Punjab, was one of India’s finest players. Standing just 5 foot 6 inches tall and weighing just 58 kgs, he never let his small physique affect his game.
Won 3 Olympic gold medals and 1 silver medal.
Involved in the Helsinki (1952), Melbourne (1956) and Tokyo (1964) Olympic gold-winning teams apart from winning the silver at the 1960 Rome Olympics.
Took charge of the Indian team as manager winning the silver medal at the Mexico Olympics in 1968 and the 1970 Asian Games in Bangkok.
Conferred with the Arjuna award in 1965 for his contribution to Indian hockey.
India’s religion: Cricket
There are millions of cricket fans in India. The craze for the craving of cricket is that it is worshiped like a religion in India and the players are considered like god by their fans. But the popularity of any game in India is not as much as it is for cricket.
What is the predicament of hockey is not hidden from anyone. After all, what is the root cause that sports other than cricket is not so popular in India?
1- Emergence of star players from time to time
Since India started playing cricket and until the team’s first World Cup win, India has been receiving star players from time to time in this game, which fans admire a lot or consider them as their role model. Earlier stars such as Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar ruled the hearts of the audience, and then Mohammed Azharuddin was loved by the audience. But after this, it was like that the Indian team got the army of star players. Stars such as Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag completely altered the game and in India the cricket reached to the strength of success. These players began to be recognized in every corner of India and the admirers began to believe in them as their God. After this, stars such as Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, Virat Kohli, shined their glow and dominated the hearts of fans.
At the same time, in any other game, India could not get any star that fans could make their hero. Although in the hockey when Major Dhyanchand played, then the popularity of hockey in India was at its peak. After this, there was a lot of hockey in the time of Dhanraj Pillay but later this game did not produce any heroes.
2 – India achieved the incredible successes in cricket:
In cricket, the Indian team has been consistently performing well and has achieved great successes. After winning the World Cup in 1983, India reached the 2003 World Cup final. At the same time Team India played its first T20 World Cup in 2007. Even after this, the Indian team’s excellent journey continued and Team India won the World Cup title for the second time in 2011. Meanwhile, Team India also won the ICC Champions Trophy twice this time. India could not show any sport as good as cricket.
3 – Cricket is to be equally preferred throughout India:
The game of cricket in India is the only sport that has gained popularity of equality across India. The popularity of sports other than cricket is either in some states or in some parts of India. For example football is highly liked in Kolkata, Goa and North East but apart from these states, there is no wide appreciation of football in India. On the other hand, Hockey is hardly liked in any other corner of the country except Punjab, Haryana. But cricket is such that it is preferred from Kashmir to Kanyakumari.
In the right way, the player is the one who makes any game bigger. India has got many big players in cricket, which the youth consider them to be their role models. This has run over from generation to generations. In the current era, Virat Kohli is India’s most liked player, and every young man wants to be or look like Kohli. In such a case, if it had happened in other games than cricket then today other games would have been as popular as cricket.
All Needs Money
National Sports Federation budget
AIFF (Football) – 342 Crore rupees
Hockey India – 342 Crore rupees
AITA (Tennis) – 342 Crore rupees
Cricket- BCCI is India’s richest sporting body and the richest cricket board in the world.
Loophole in the federation
Well its quite evident that no other sports is as followed as cricket and sadly the sports which was supposed to be our national treasure has lost its charm, yes this refers to hockey. If one asks the reasons behind the decline in Indian hockey, then the fact would revolve around the non availability of astro turfs, minimal coverage of hockey by the media, weak infrastructure and a lack of commitment. Surely these are the major cause behind the degrading condition of hockey but some or the other way federation is also involved in all these.
“We do not have any such facility to improve our performance. The astro-turf stadium has become only a show-piece. We do not have a dearth of talented coaches, but we required foreign coaches because of fast changing techniques as well as the rules of the game.” –Manohar Topno, Hockey Olympian and coach of Jharkhand Hockey team
Concluding the Applauds
Viewing at the complete journey of hockey in India one can ponder upon that what’s missing to give hockey the equitable and deserved importance in the country. Our nation had really memorable history of hockey, but eventually growing popularity of other sports has diminished its importance in the country. Yet presently our Indian men’s Hockey team is doing amazing on international platform that they are determined to make their own identity in the global level.
The need of the hour is to appreciate the children from school level so that the quality and skills of the player can be improved. Other than that Hockey needs humongous promotion to spread across the nation. Government needs to pay attention to hockey equally and the budget must be allocated properly so that facilities are unstoppable for the players and then nobody can stop Indian hockey team.