India Celebrates 100 Years of Hockey

• 07 Nov 2025

Source: PIB 

Why in News?  

Hockey India celebrates 100 years of Indian Hockey (1925–2025) with nationwide events on 7th November, led by a major ceremony at New Delhi’s Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium. 

How has Indian Hockey Evolved Over the Last 100 Years? 

• Origins of Hockey: Hockey dates back nearly 4,000 years, with early references in Iran, Egypt, and Greece, while the modern game emerged in the UK, where formal rules were drafted in 1876. 
  • The two major forms of Hockey are field hockey and ice hockey. Field hockey is played on an artificial pitch, while ice hockey is played by teams of skaters on an ice rink. 
• Arrival in India: Hockey arrived in India in the 1850s under British rule and quickly grew popular, leading to the first Hockey club in Calcutta (1855).  
  • Domestic tournaments like the Beighton Cup (Calcutta) and Aga Khan Tournament (Bombay) further popularised the sport. 
  • The Indian Hockey Federation (IHF), the country’s first governing body for the sport was founded on 7th November 1925, one year after the formation of the International Hockey Federation (FIH). 
• Apex Governing Body: Hockey India (HI) formed in 2009 after merging the IHF (mens) and Indian Women’s Hockey Federation, and act as an apex governing body for hockey in India.  
  • HI was recognised as a National Sports Federation in 2014.  
  • It is affiliated to FIH, Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) and runs long-term development programmes to strengthen national teams. 

India’s Hockey Achievements 

• Golden Era (1928–1956): India became the world’s most successful hockey nation, winning six consecutive Olympic golds (Amsterdam 1928, Los Angeles 1932, Berlin 1936, London 1948, Helsinki 1952 and Melbourne 1956). 
  • As of 2025, India went on to become the world’s most successful hockey nation with haul of 13 Olympic medals (8 Gold, 1 Silver, and 4 Bronze).  
• World Cup Glory (1975): India has won the Hockey World Cup once, in 1975 at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.  
• Regional Dominance (1980s–Present): India have won four Men’s Asia Cup hockey titles, second only to South Korea, with their most recent victory coming in the 2025 edition held in Bihar, India. 
  • India holds all three continental titles (the Asian Games, Asian Champions Trophy (ACT) and the Asia Cup) becoming the first men’s team to achieve this. 
• Dhyan Chand & Legacy: India’s 1926 New Zealand tour revealed Dhyan Chand (the “Wizard of Hockey” and widely regarded as the greatest ever). The Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna now honours his legacy as India’s highest sporting award. 
  • National Sports Day is observed annually on 29^th August to commemorate the birth anniversary of Dhyan Chand. 
• Icons: India’s hockey legacy shines through icons like Balbir Singh Sr, Mohammad Shahid, Dhanraj Pillay, PR Sreejesh, Harmanpreet Singh, and Savita Punia, whose skill and leadership shaped the sport across eras. 
• Contemporary Performance: The women’s team achieved a notable 4^th-place finish at the 2020 Olympics 
  • In current FIH rankings, as of July  2025 the India men’s team is ranked 5^th and the women’s team 9^th.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 

1. When was the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) established? 
The IHF was founded on 7 November 1925, one year after the creation of the International Hockey Federation (FIH). 

2. When was Hockey India formed, and what is its status? 
Hockey India was formed in 2009 and was recognised as the National Sports Federation (NSF) in 2014. 

3. How many Hockey World Cup titles has India won? 
India has one World Cup title, won in 1975 (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia). 

4. What are India’s current FIH world rankings in hockey? 
As of 2025, in the FIH rankings, the men’s team is 5th and the women’s team is 9th. 

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Years Question (PYQ) 

Q. Consider the following statements in respect of the 32nd Summer Olympics: (2021)

1. The official motto for this Olympics is ‘A New World’. 
2. Sport Climbing, Surfing, Skateboarding, Karate and Baseball are included in this Olympics. 

Which of the above statements is/are correct? 

(a) 1 only 

(b) 2 only 

(c) Both 1 and 2 

(d) Neither 1 nor 2 

Ans: (b)