Ice hockey in India

Ice hockey is a sport that is slowly gaining popularity in India.[2][3] Ice hockey is played mostly in places like Ladakh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir in the north of India, where cold weather occurs and the game can be played outdoors.[4] Ice hockey enthusiasts from other places in the country, as well as expatriates from abroad, head to places like Ladakh for the experience of playing in some of the highest rinks in the world. There are a few artificial indoor ice skating rinks in the rest of the country, such as the Doon Ice Rink in Dehradun,[5] which can accommodate ice hockey with an international-sized rink.

Ice hockey in India
Ice hockey players at the inauguration of the Khelo India Winter Games in 2020
CountryIndia
Governing bodyIce Hockey Association of India
National team(s)Men's national team
First played1989 [1]
National competitions

Ice Hockey was part of the 2020 Khelo India Winter Games in Gulmarg.[6]

Ladakh is host to the world's highest altitude women's ice hockey tournament.[7]

About

Ice Hockey in India is monitored by the Indian Ice Hockey Federation. The India national ice hockey team has been competing at the international level since 2009[8] with Head Coach Adam Sherlip behind the bench during the tournament in Abu Dhabi, UAE as well as the 2012 tournament hosted by India at the Doon Ice Rink. Adam also coaches ice hockey in Ladakh through The Hockey Foundation.[9] India won the 2nd position in IIHF men Challenge Cup of Asia Div 1 at Kuwait and Women's team secured the 4th position at Thailand.[10]

Infrastructure

Ice Hockey clubs

The country's two oldest ice hockey clubs are the Shimla Ice Skating Club, which has existed since 1920 but began playing ice hockey much later, and the Ladakh Winter Sports Club, which was established in 1995.[11] The present clubs affiliated to the IHAI are:[12][13]

  • Ladakh Winter Sports Club
  • Indo-Tibetan Border Police
  • Ladakh Scouts
  • Chandigarh Winter Games Association
  • Haryana Skiing and Ice Hockey Association
  • Ice Hockey Association of Maharashtra, Mumbai
  • Ice Hockey Association of Jammu and Kashmir
  • Shimla Ice Skating Club
  • High Altitude Warfare School
  • Ex-Servicemen League
  • Kargil Ice and Snow Sports Club
  • Ice Hockey Association of Uttarakhand
  • Delhi Ice Hockey Association

The participation of school children in ice hockey in Ladakh increased after Sonam Wangchuk and his NGO, SECMOL, developed a technique to use school playgrounds as ice hockey rinks.[14]

In 2011, an Indo-Canadian film, Speedy Singhs based on an Indian ice hockey team was produced by actor Akshay Kumar, who is a fan of the sport. He also made a contribution to the Ice Hockey Federation of India to encourage greater participation and awareness in the sport.[15][16][17][18][19]

See also

References
  1. https://www.nationalteamsoficehockey.com/india/
  2. Horstmann, Jakob (21 February 2013). "Playing ice hockey in the Indian Himalayas". The Guardian.
  3. "Breaking the ice: Story of India's ice hockey team is stuff movies are made of". Indianexpress.com. 19 April 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  4. "On Thin Ice: India's National Ice Hockey Team". Aljazeera.com. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  6. "Ice Hockey, Ice Skating held during Khelo India Winter Games". Greater Kashmir. 14 March 2020. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  7. "Ladakh hosts World's highest altitude women's ice hockey tournament". The Bridge. 24 December 2019. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  8. "All eyes on Ice Hockey Team". The Economic Times. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  9. "#HowHockeyHelps". Hockeyfoundation.org. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  10. http://www.icehockeyindia.com/
  11. "Ice Hockey in India". Forums.internationalhockey.net. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  12. "Members & Associates - Ice Hockey Association of India". Icehockeyindia.com. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  13. "Teams". Icehockeyindia.com. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  14. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/sunday-times/Why-Leh-has-warmed-up-to-ice-hockey/articleshow/46249000.cms
  15. "India ice hockey: National team crowd-funding bid successful". BBC News. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  16. "Director Ice Hockey Association of India Akshay Kumar | DNA". Dnaindia.com. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  17. "Breaking the ice: Story of India's ice hockey team is stuff movies are made of". The Indian Express. 21 April 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  18. "Akshay Kumar donates Rs 2cr for ice hockey | Bollywood.com News". Bollywood.com. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  19. "Schwartz: Ex-Islanders Employee Helps Grow Hockey In India". Newyork.cbslocal.com. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
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