11 Indian hockey facts you probably didn’t know
India’s national sport, hockey, was also the one that introduced the country to the rest of the world. Here are some interesting Indian hockey facts you probably didn’t know:
Here are some interesting Indian hockey-related facts you probably didn’t know:
- The Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) was established in Gwalior on November 7, 1925. India became the first non-European member of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) when it joined in 1928.
- The first Indian sports teams to ever step foot outside of India were Indian hockey teams in Australia/New Zealand (1926), Europe (1928), and Japan/USA (1930). (1932).
![Indian hockey teams in AustraliaNew Zealand (1926) (Photo Stick to hockey)]()
Indian hockey teams in Australia/New Zealand (1926) (Photo Stick to hockey) - The first Indian sports team to complete an around-the-world tour was the hockey squad, which did it in 1932. Before triumphantly returning to the Indian coasts, they competed in matches in Colombo, Malaya, Tokyo, Los Angeles, Omaha, Philadelphia, Amsterdam, Berlin, Prague, and Budapest.
- The IHF has organised the National Hockey Championship each year since 1944.
![Ice Hockey Association of India - ( Photo: Wikipedia)]( "Ice Hockey Association of India - ( Photo: Wikipedia)")
Ice Hockey Association of India – ( Photo: Wikipedia) - In 1947, the All India Women’s Hockey Federation was established.
- The men’s and women’s national field hockey teams of India are the two teams that make up the field hockey category in India.
![India's Men's and Women's Hockey Team]()
India’s Men’s and Women’s Hockey Team - India competed in the Olympics for the first time in 1928 in the Olympics in Amsterdam, taking home the Gold Medal. India has won the hockey gold medal at the Olympics a maximum of eight times.
- India competed in the first Hockey World Cup in Barcelona in 1971. Third place went to India.
- The 1975 Hockey World Cup in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, was won by India.
- India also holds the record for both the most consecutive victories and the highest victory margin in a hockey match (India 24 – USA 1 in the 1932 Olympics) (30 wins on the trot from 1928 to 1960).
- Sansarpur, a small village outside of Jalandhar, is famous for having given birth to nine Olympians: Gurmit Singh in 1932, Udham Singh in 1952, 1956, 1960, 1964, Gurdev Singh in 1956, Darshan Singh in 1964, Jagit Singh in 1964, and Balbir Singh in 1968, Tarsem Singh in 1968, and the World Cup-winning captain Ajitpal Singh in 1968, 1972, and 1976.
Also Read: Hockey: India will make a new start with the FIH Pro League following the World Cup disaster
-IANS
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