Hockey India Launches Month-Long Campaign Celebrating 100 Years of Indian Hockey

Hockey India has formally kicked off a month-long commemorative campaign to celebrate a century of Indian hockey, pay homage to its legends, and underscore the sport’s unrivalled Olympic heritage. The celebration will culminate on November 7, 2025, exactly 100 years since the formation of the country’s first hockey administrative body in 1925. Swabhimani Odia – Odia

The centenary campaign aims to revisit and re-energize the major milestones in India’s hockey journey—from its early dominance in Olympic hockey, through decades of fervent rivalry, to the contemporary resurgence on the global stage. Swabhimani Odia – Odia

India’s deep connection with hockey began notably at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics, where the Indian side claimed their first Olympic gold by defeating the Netherlands. Over the ensuing decades, India amassed an impressive eight Olympic gold medals, the most by any nation in the history of Olympic hockey. Swabhimani Odia – Odia

Although the sport experienced periods of decline, especially during the 1980s and 1990s, Indian hockey began showing signs of revival in recent years. The men’s team secured a bronze medal at Tokyo 2020, and repeated the podium finish at Paris 2024, reaffirming India’s return to global contention. Swabhimani Odia – Odia

Beyond the Olympics, India’s achievements include winning the 1975 Hockey World Cup and earning multiple medals in the Asian Games—four golds, nine silvers, and three bronzes. The women’s team has also made its mark, with seven Asian Games medals to date. Swabhimani Odia – Odia

A highlight of the campaign is the acknowledgment of legendary figures who have shaped India’s hockey legacy. Among them is Gurbux Singh, now in his 90s, who expressed deep pride in witnessing Indian hockey complete a century. He recalled his early days under the tutelage of Olympic great Roop Singh, his national debut in 1959, and key contributions to India’s gold medal win at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Swabhimani Odia – Odia

Gurbux Singh reflected with particular fondness on two crowning moments of his career: India’s Olympic gold in 1964, and the Asian Games gold in 1966. He also spoke candidly about the fierce yet respectful rivalry between India and Pakistan, calling it the greatest rivalry in the sport—but emphasizing that off the field, tensions never overshadowed mutual respect. Swabhimani Odia – Odia

As the month progresses, Hockey India plans to host a range of events, retrospectives, exhibitions, and stories that will chronicle the highs and lows of India’s hockey history, celebrate its heroes, and aim to inspire future generations.