Once the great sport of India, Hockey now nowhere in the Indian sports map which is completely dominated by Cricket. Even though I am a cricket fan, it hurts me a lot on looking into current situation of our national sport and state of our hockey players.
The game enters India from England in Calcutta in 1886. In 42 years, Indian Team won the Olympics Gold in hockey and soon dominated the sport by not losing a single match in next 6 Olympics winning 6 gold in a row. The greatest hockey player India ever produced, Dhyan Singh helped India to win 3 gold in the Olympics.Balbir Singh helped India to win the next 3 Olympics Gold in Field Hockey. It is the only hockey team in the world so far to win 8 Olympic Gold, last coming in 1980. India also won 1 Silver and 2 Bronze medals in Olympics. Apart from Olympics, Indian team won 2 Gold, 9 Silver and 1bronze medal in Asian games and won the world cup in1975 in Malaysia.
Indian hockey started losing its interest after the Kapil Devils won the first cricket world Cup for India. Even though it is the only cricket world cup for India till now, it starts digging the interest for hockey among the Indians and soon the national sport lost its place in Cricket completely in 1990s. Players like Dhanraj Pillai, Dilip Tirkey, Baljit Singh Saini tried their best to bring back the lost pride but ends in vain as Cricket become most popular game in India and all the sponsors goes behind cricket team and cricket players.
IHF tried to revive the interest which was lost to cricket by starting Premier Hockey League, a club based Hockey League. This model is later borrowed by cricket for IPL. 28 years after the last Olympic gold medal, the Indian team lost all its pride and status in the International Hockey as a competitive team by not qualifying for the Olympic and soon the Indian Hockey Federation was demolished and it merged with Indian Olympic association. Hockey India was later formed in 2008.
The worst part of Indian Hockey is now. Hockey India is out of money to pay for its players to play for their country. Players were demanding the fee of Rs.4.5 lakhs each to play for their country but Hockey India is willing to pay only Rs.25,000 each. Even the local cricket club player earns more than an Indian Hockey Player. This is the Pathetic state of our national sport and its players. BCCI which is one of the richest sports board in the world should come forward to revive the national sport. Only BCCI and Corporates of India can help the Indian hockey team to regain the last moment.
The game enters India from England in Calcutta in 1886. In 42 years, Indian Team won the Olympics Gold in hockey and soon dominated the sport by not losing a single match in next 6 Olympics winning 6 gold in a row. The greatest hockey player India ever produced, Dhyan Singh helped India to win 3 gold in the Olympics.Balbir Singh helped India to win the next 3 Olympics Gold in Field Hockey. It is the only hockey team in the world so far to win 8 Olympic Gold, last coming in 1980. India also won 1 Silver and 2 Bronze medals in Olympics. Apart from Olympics, Indian team won 2 Gold, 9 Silver and 1bronze medal in Asian games and won the world cup in1975 in Malaysia.
Indian hockey started losing its interest after the Kapil Devils won the first cricket world Cup for India. Even though it is the only cricket world cup for India till now, it starts digging the interest for hockey among the Indians and soon the national sport lost its place in Cricket completely in 1990s. Players like Dhanraj Pillai, Dilip Tirkey, Baljit Singh Saini tried their best to bring back the lost pride but ends in vain as Cricket become most popular game in India and all the sponsors goes behind cricket team and cricket players.
IHF tried to revive the interest which was lost to cricket by starting Premier Hockey League, a club based Hockey League. This model is later borrowed by cricket for IPL. 28 years after the last Olympic gold medal, the Indian team lost all its pride and status in the International Hockey as a competitive team by not qualifying for the Olympic and soon the Indian Hockey Federation was demolished and it merged with Indian Olympic association. Hockey India was later formed in 2008.
The worst part of Indian Hockey is now. Hockey India is out of money to pay for its players to play for their country. Players were demanding the fee of Rs.4.5 lakhs each to play for their country but Hockey India is willing to pay only Rs.25,000 each. Even the local cricket club player earns more than an Indian Hockey Player. This is the Pathetic state of our national sport and its players. BCCI which is one of the richest sports board in the world should come forward to revive the national sport. Only BCCI and Corporates of India can help the Indian hockey team to regain the last moment.
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