Ranchi: The 13th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Hockey India was held on Friday at Jaipal Singh AstroTurf Hockey Stadium Meeting Hall in Marang Gomke. In the press conference after the AGM held for the first time in Jharkhand, Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey said that for the first time an international hockey competition was organized in Jharkhand.
Thanking the CM of Jharkhand, he said that Hemant Soren has a huge contribution in this. They are supporting hockey a lot. He said that in future we would also like to organize an international championship in Jharkhand. We want to work at grass roots. He said that Hockey India has performed very well in the last one year. We became champions in Asian Junior Boys and Girls.
The men’s team became champion in the Asian Champion Trophy. The women’s team is also performing brilliantly. Cash awards are being given to the winners. For the first time, Hockey India sent Under-17 boys and girls to Europe. Zonal championship was organized at grass root level.
Giving information about the decision taken in the AGM, Hockey India General Secretary Bholanath Singh said that in order to strengthen the state member units, it has been decided to give a prize of Rs 10 lakh to each member unit that wins a medal in the Hockey India National Championship to be held in the year 2023.
The main focus is to bring back the old days of Indian hockey. He said that the same person who was the psychologist of the Indian cricket team in 2011 is currently a part of the hockey main team. Each Permanent State Member Unit participating in at least 4 of the 6th National Championships will receive a support of Rs 1.50 lakh. Units participating in all six national championships will receive a grant of Rs 9 lakh.
Similarly, Associate State Member Units will be given 50 prizes of Rs 1.50 lakh for their participation in each Hockey India National Championship, provided they have played in at least 4 annual National Championships. Whereas Tayyab Ikram said that if there is Indian hockey, then there is a hockey world. If there are hockey fans, then there is hockey. The way spectators are coming in large numbers to watch the match, they are feeling very proud.