Introduction

Indian Hockey Teams for both men and women are numerous and participate in several state level and national level tournaments. There are a large number of teams that play hockey in India and take part in various hockey tournaments, at both the national, international and regional levels.

Indian National Hockey Teams

Indian National Hockey team includes the Indian Men`s Hockey team and the Indian Women`s Hockey team. India is counted among the top Hockey playing nations in the world, given that its national team has played extremely well in the international arena, during the last several decades. While, the Indian Men`s Hockey team has earned most of the honour and glory for the country, the Indian Women`s Hockey team has also showed wonderful performances in the international arena, in recent years.

Indian Hockey teams for the men and the women can be classified in various ways like the National Senior Hockey team, the National Junior Hockey team, the Indian Women`s Hockey team, the Indian State Hockey teams, the club teams, various Services teams etc.

Performance of Indian National Hockey Team : India received recognition as a Hockey powerhouse for the first time in 1928 Olympic Games, when the Indian Men`s Hockey team clinched the Gold medal, without losing a single match. The Indian National Hockey team then continued its dominance all over the other Hockey playing nations for a long period. In total, Indian Men`s Hockey team has still won the highest number of Gold medals at Olympics amongst all the national teams. From 1928 to 1980, India was never lower than in the top three, except at the 1976 National Olympics. On the other hand, Indian Women`s Hockey team has only recently earned considerable amount of recognition in the international arena.

Medal List of Indian National Hockey Team : Following is the list of medals of Indian National Hockey Team:
• 8 Gold and 1 Silver in Olympics with 2 Bronze.
• 1 Gold and 1 Silver with 1 Bronze in World Cup.
• 2 Bronze in FIH Hockey World League.
• 1 Silver and 1 Bronze in Hockey Champions Trophy.
• 2 Silver in Commonwealth Games.
• 3 Gold in Asian Games.
• 3 Gold in Asia Cup and 5 Silver with 1 Bronze.
• 2 Gold in Asian Hockey Champions Trophy and 1 Silver.

Apart from this Indian National Hockey Team has won several medals in international tournaments like the title of Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, Hockey Champions Challenge, Afro-Asian Games, and South Asian Games.

State Level Indian Hockey Teams For Both Men and Women

Almost all the Indian States have their own Hockey teams that play in the National level tournaments, organised by various organisations. The Indian State Hockey teams are mainly patronised by the State Hockey associations that operate under the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF). Some of the popular Indian state Hockey teams include the Tamil Nadu XI, the Hyderabad XI, the Karnataka XI, the Bengal XI, the Mumbai XI, the Bhopal XI, the Panposh XI, etc. The teams participate and compete with all the other teams in various tournaments, held in India.

anagement of Indian Hockey Teams

The highest number of Indian Hockey teams those patronised and managed by different services or corporate houses. Such teams are entirely run and managed by their respective owners and they compete with the Indian State Hockey teams and the other teams in different national level tournaments. Some of the famous and prestigious Services teams include the Madras Engineering Group and Centre (MEG), Bangaluru; the Punjab and Sind Bank, BPCL, IOC, Punjab National Bank, PSEB, Patiala; COE, Patiala; Canara Bank, Bangaluru; Indian Bank; Sukhjit Starch Mill; etc.

There are a large number of Indian Hockey teams that are being patronised and managed by various Government organisations. The teams also compete in various national level tournaments, along with the other Services or State Hockey teams. Some of the Indian Hockey teams being run by Government organisations include Air India, Mumbai; Central Railway, Western Railway, Northern Railway, Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala District of Punjab; Indian Air Force, Central Industrial Security Force; BSF, Jalandhar; Bharat Petroleum, Mumbai; IndianOil, Mumbai; Punjab Police, Jalandhar; South Central Railways; Indian Airlines; Sikh Regimental Centre; Central Reserve Police Force; Army XI, the Punjab Police and several others.

Indian Hockey Teams managed by Hockey Clubs

Apart from the Indian State Hockey teams, Services Hockey teams and the teams managed by Government organisations, there are also some other Hockey teams in India. These Indian Hockey teams are run and managed by different Hockey clubs, private organisations or educational institutions. These Hockey teams include the Chandigarh Hockey Academy; DAV Hockey Academy; Punjabi University; Town Hall Club, Shahjahanpur; Amrawati XI; Meerut Hostel XI; Escorts Ramesh Chander Academy; Bhaini Sahib; Mehta Academy; Sports School, Jalandhar; Namdhari XI; Green Chillies, Nabha; ASC, Jalandhar; FCI, Delhi; MEG, Bengaluru; UP Meerut XI; Air India Hockey Academy and several others.

Several Indian Hockey teams are instituted and patronized by different services, like Banks, Railways, Air India and others. Indian Hockey teams display great diversity at several levels, and the abundance of hockey teams attests to the sport`s popularity in India.

Indian Men’s Hockey Team

Indian Men"s Hockey Team was the first non-European team to be a part of the International Hockey Federation. It has consistently performed with distinction and without any recognition in several international tournaments. Indian Men"s Hockey Team has earned a lot of recognition and brought glory to the nation.

History of Indian Men`s Hockey Team : India has a rich history of Hockey in the world for years. The team was founded in 1928 and it was the first non-European team to be a part of the International Hockey Federation (FIH). In 1928, the team won its first Olympic gold medal and until 1956, the Indian men`s team remained winning in the Olympics by winning six gold medals in a row.

After the extraordinary performance in the 1928 Olympic Games, Indian Men`s Hockey team became famous all over the world. The team continued its wonderful run in the Olympics for a long period and won six straight Olympic Gold medals from 1928 to 1956. During this period, the team won 24 matches in Olympics and conceded only 7 goals. However, this extraordinary run came to an end in the 1960 Olympic Games, when it was defeated by the Pakistan team in the finals. The Indian team`s performance in the Olympic Games never got even closer to that of the golden era again and it won only two Olympic. The team had a winning line during this time, from their first game until losing in the 1960 gold medal final. India also won the 1975 World Cup.

Apart from the Olympic Games, the Indian team has shown its expertise in some other prestigious international Hockey tournaments, as well. The Indian team has participated and played well in the tournaments like the World Cup, Asian Games, Asia Cup, Champions Trophy, Champions Challenge, Commonwealth Games, Azlan Shah Hockey Tournament etc. It won several medals and trophies from these tournaments so far.

Prominent Indian Male Hockey Players : India has produced numerous legendary Hockey players, who have stunned the world of Hockey with their extraordinary talent. Some of the legendary Indian Hockey players include Dhyan Chand, Udham Singh, Balbir Singh Sr., Adam Sinclair, Adrian D Souza, Ajit Pal Singh, Arjun Halappa, Baljit Singh Dhillon, Bir Bahadur Chettri, Dhanraj Pillay, K. D. Singh, Dilip Tirkey, Leslie Claudius, Akashdeep Singh, Bharat Chettri, Birendra Lakra, Chinglensana Singh Kangujam, Gurvinder Singh Chandi, Manpreet Singh, Sandeep Singh, Tushar Khandker etc.

Medals Table of Indian Men`s Hockey Team : Indian Men`s Hockey Team has won 8 gold medals, 1 silver and 2 bronze medal in Olympics. In World Cup, the team has won 1 gold medal 1 silver and 1 bronze. In FIH Hockey World League, the team has won 2 bronze medals. In Hockey Champions Trophy team has won 1 silver and 1 bronze.

In Commonwealth Games, Indian Men`s Hockey Team has won 2 silver medals. In Asian Games, the team has won 3 gold, 9 silver and 2 bronze. In Asia Cup, the team has won 3 gold, 5 silver and 1 bronze and in Asian Hockey Champions Trophy, the team has won 2 gold and 1 silver medals. In South Asian Games, Indian Men`s Hockey Team has won 1 gold and 3 silver medals. In Afro-Asian Games, the team has won 1 gold and in Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, the team has won 5 gold, 2 silver and 7 bronze.

Indian Women Hockey Team

Indian Women Hockey Team is currently coached by Neil Hawgood and led by halfback Ritu Rani from Haryana

Navjot Kaur : Navjot Kaur is an Indian Hockey player. She is part of the Indian Women`s Hockey team in the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Deep Grace Ekka : Deep Grace Ekka was born on June 3rd in the year 1994. She is an Indian woman hockey player from Odisha in defender position. She belongs to Lulkidihi village, Balisankra Block, Sundargarh District of Odisha. She is the daughter of Charles Ekka (father) and Jayamani Ekka (mother).

Monika Malik : Monika Malik was born on 5th November in the year 1993. She is an Indian field hockey player from Haryana who represented India in the 2014 Asian Games. She is currently employed with the Indian Railways.

Nikki Pradhan : Nikki Pradhan was born on 8th December in the year 1993. She is an Indian Hockey player. She is the first Women hockey player from Jharkhand. She is the daughter of Soma Pradhan (father) and Jitan Devi (mother). She is from Heshal village, Murthu block, Khunti district, Ranchi, Jharkhand.

Anuradha Thokchom : Anuradha Thokchom was born on February 2nd, 1989 at Toubal, Manipur. She is a member of the Indian women`s national field hockey team. She hails from Manipur and plays as a forward. She is an experienced member of the Indian squad and has more than 80 international caps to her credit.

Savita Punia : Savita Punia was born on 11th June in the year 1990. She is a member of the India women`s national field hockey team. She hails from Haryana and plays as the goalkeeper. She is India`s current goalkeeper at the Rio Olympics in the year 2016 in Brazil where team India is competing after 36 years. The player has 105 international caps to her credit.

Poonam Rani : Poonam Rani is an Indian field hockey player from Hisar in Hisar District, Haryana who has been selected to represent India at the 2016 Olympics. She is said to have been inspired to play hockey after watching India win the gold medal at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England.

Vandana Kataria : Vandana Kataria is an Indian field hockey player. She plays as a forward in the Indian national team. Vandana Kataria tasted success in 2013 emerging as the country"s top goal-scorer, helping India bag a coveted bronze medal in the Junior Women" World Cup in Monchengladbach, Germany – her five goals made her the third highest goal-scorer of the tournament.

Deepika Thakur : Deepika Thakur is an Indian field hockey player from Haryana. She plays as a forward and is a product of Sports Hostel, Chandigarh. She hails from Yamunanagar District in Haryana. She works for Indian Railways.

Namita Toppo : Namita Toppo is an Indian woman hockey player from Odisha in mid-fielder position.

Renuka Yadav : Renuka Yadav is an Indian female field hockey player. She has become the youngest player to qualify for Rio Olympics 2016. She is from Rajnandgaon District of Chhattisgarh, which has also been called "the Hockey Nursery of India." She is the second from Chhattisgarh to qualify for the Olympics, after Leslie Claudius. She is first woman from Chhattisgarh to qualify for Olympics.

Sunita Lakra : Sunita Lakra is a member of the India women`s national field hockey team who plays as a forward for the team. She is hailing from Odisha. She made her International debut in 2009, and has often been cited the backbone of the team since then and even been part of important tournaments like the 17th Asian Games and the recently culminated Women"s Hockey World League Round.

Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam : Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam is an Indian field hockey player and is the current captain of Indian national hockey team.

Rani Rampal : Rani Rampal is an Indian field hockey player. At the age of 15, she was the youngest player in the national team, who participated in the 2010 World Cup.

Preethi Dubey : Preethi Dubey is an Indian Hockey player. She is part of the Indian Women`s Hockey team in the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Lilima Minz : Lilima Minz is an Indian woman hockey player from Odisha in forward position.

Rajani Etimarpu : Rajani Etimarpu is a member of the India women`s national field hockey team. She hails from Andhra Pradesh and plays as a goalkeeper. She is India`s current goalkeeper at the 2014-2015 Women`s FIH Hockey World League .The player has successfully 50 international caps to her credit.