India has always been home to the International Hockey Federation (FI) events in the last few years. Starting with the World Hockey Championship in January 2023 in Bhubaneswar and Rourkel on the ongoing Rajgir Asia Cup and hockey India, the fans have always seen in large numbers for each tournament.
During this period, we saw the events of FIH in Ranch, Chennai and Delhi, because hockey India spent conscious efforts to lead the sport to different corners of the country to ensure that the game gains proper appreciation.
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FIH events in India from 2023 to 2025
Men’s Hockey Championship – Bhubaneswar and Rourkel, January 2023
Men’s Asian trophy – Chennai, August 2023
Women’s Asian trophy – Ranchi, October 2023
Hockey Olympic Qualifier – Ranchi, January 2024
Test series India vs. Germany – Delhi, October 2024
Trophy of female Asian champions – Rajgir, November 2024
And the government body does not seem to be ready to stop there. The World Hockey World Hockey Championship will be held at Chennai and Madurai from 28 November to 10 December at the end of this year and will present some of the best young world hockey talents.
So why did hockey India take this path, which is not only held in one place? After all, they probably have one of the best places for hockey at the Kalinga hockey stadium in BhubaneSwar, full of some of the best players devices.
President Hockey India Dilip Tirkey was the perfect man who answered this question and at the moment gave insight into the intellectual process of the organization.
Bring hockey back to states with madness
Mr. Tirkey, one of the legends of the game, took the lead as president of hockey in India in 2022. Since then, the new regime has explained that their mantra is to take sport to areas where there has always been madness.
“When a new body was created, at that time we saw that hockey was limited to some countries. But there are other states where hockey has a little madness, but international matches have never happened there.”
“The matches should happen in such places to become popular. In many countries, hockey has been for years, but it has not been so promoted in this way and in some way crazy in this area. So we thought we would make a tournament there, so Rajgir was selected.” Fans in Rajgir have shown their love for hockey during the Asia Cup (Credit: Alan John/India Today)
The choice of Rajgiru proved to be a masterpiece, with fans coming at 9 am and stayed all the way until The game India vs Chinawhich started at 3 pm. Energy at the stadium electrifying, because all the teams that competed received support from the crowd.
Setting new foundations for hockey in India
The goal for hockey India is not to be on laurels and being satisfied with existing bases, according to Mr. Tirkey. He wants the game to be taken to areas where a fan base can be grown.
“It is a new system of hockey India. Previously, two years have occurred in Delhi. Two big tournaments occurred in Rajgir – the women’s Asian championship trophy and now the Asian Men’s Hockey Cup.”
“So we’ll look forward to other places where matches haven’t happened for a long time. India’s hockey thinks this way to set up other bases for matches. That’s exactly our focus,” said Mr. Tirkey.
President of hockey India also revealed that many states, including the northeast, are in the future of the Federation plans to organize events of FIH. He said that Hi is open to the takeover of the game in regions where state governments show interest in the implementation of international events.
“Last year, the Asian champions in Chennai were supported by the Tamil Nadu government and it was very well organized. We are also looking at a pandjab where many hockey and international events have become in the past – in the past.
“There are also a lot of hockey in the northeast region, so there should also be international matches. Right now it is open to us; we can do it in any state. Wherever the government will start to show interest, we are ready to organize international events there,” Mr. Tirkey said.
More than a bold step is the one that suits India’s hockey very well. If Rajgir has a lot to go through, more events in places like this will draw attention to the sport – a sport that needs care and love from its supporters not only to grow but prosper.
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Published on:
August 30, 2025
