'We have room to improve in talent identification. At the nursery level, at grassroots, there's a lot to work on. That's where the investment needs to go in.'
Apart from hosts India, Canada (winners of the third Pan American Cup), Korea (eighth Asia Cup winners), South Africa (winners of the Africa Cup of Nations, 2009), Australia (winners of the sixth Oceania Cup) have qualified for the event.
India women claim hockey CWG medal after 16 years
Harendra said a medal will be fitting farewell gift for long-serving goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, who will quit the sport after the Paris Games.
Harmanpreet Singh led from the front as he converted two penalty corners to hand unbeaten India a close 2-1 victory over Pakistan.
Hockey India on Saturday sacked national coach Roelant Oltmans after a string of unimpressive outings at the international level.
India named striker Rani Rampal as skipper and Deep Grace Ekka and Savita as two vice-captains of the national women's hockey team for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics to be held from July 23 to August 8.
Rising to the occasion, the Indian hockey team thrashed hosts Indonesia 16-0 to qualify for the Super 4 stage of the Asia Cup in Jakarta on Thursday on Thursday.
Sreejesh broke into a wide grin that like his idol, his own skills earned him the sobriquet "The Great Wall of Indian Hockey".
Pakistan hockey coach Farhat Khan on Thursday termed India as the 'toughest team on paper' for next month's Asia Cup in Bangladesh.
Veteran midfielder Sardar Singh was on Friday dropped from India's 18-member squad for next month's Hockey World League Final, while the fit-again Rupinder Pal Singh and Birendra Lakra made comebacks.
Toppo is a product of the Sports Hostel, Panposh, Rourkela. She first represented her state team in 2007 and her performances in domestic competitions saw her getting selected for U-18 Girls Asia Cup in Bangkok, Thailand in 2011 where India won a bronze medal. She was first selected to represent the senior national team in 2012 in the FIH Champions Challenge I in Dublin.
The presence of a sports psychologist during the preparatory camp contributed to the success off Indian women's hockey team in the Asia Cup and a full-time appointment will help produce better results in future events, feels chief coach MK Kaushik.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday lauded former India women's hockey captain Rani Rampal's achievements, saying her exploits on the field will be cherished for ages to come.
Amandeep Lakra, the spirited defender of the Indian Junior Men's Hockey Team, is elated about making the cut to represent the nation at the upcoming FIH Hockey Men's Junior World Cup in Malaysia next month.
The two-time Olympian (2012 and 2016), from Somwarpet in Coorg, was a key player in the Indian forward line for over a decade with fine performances.
The Indian team may not have won medals but the youngsters have won the hearts of everyone, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on the FIFA Under- 17 World Cup during his monthly radio programme.
Padma Bhushan recipient PR Sreejesh, a legendary Indian hockey goalkeeper, expressed his gratitude for the honor, stating that India has given him more than what he has contributed to the sport.
The age-old malady of inconsistency remained unaddressed but Indian hockey did take baby steps towards global success in 2017, a year which reaffirmed the nation's continental supremacy in the sport.
The IHF said reports of the SARS disease resurfacing in the country forced the cancellation.
Senior India hockey player Birendra Lakra was on Tuesday accused of involvement in the murder of his childhood friend Anand Toppo by the father of the deceased.
The Indian Olympic Association on Thursday backed the Asia Cup-winning hockey players' statements on the "step-motherly treatment" meted out to them, saying Olympic sportspersons' achievements go unnoticed in the country.
Hockey India secretary general Narinder Batra confirmed that that they are in look out for a foreign expert to work with Indian goalkeepers on short-term basis.
In a surprise move on Tuesday, India's women's hockey coach Harendra Singh was named chief coach of the men's team while incumbent men's in-charge Sjoerd Marijne was sent back to the women's camp -- a fallout of the poor show by Manpreet Singh and Co. in the Commonwealth Games.
Pakistan's Dutch hockey coach Siegfried Aikman has resigned from his post after not getting paid for the last 12 months. Aikman, who had joined the national team last year, took to social media to announce he had officially resigned as head coach.
Indian men's hockey team on Sunday officially qualified for the Rabobank Hockey World Cup in The Hague (NED), according to the latest release issued by the FIH.
Indian Olympic Association president Suresh Kalmadi urged the government to reinstate hockey and football in the priority list after the recent success of the two teams in international tournaments.
The Indian men's hockey team is undergoing a philosophy shift, moving away from the traditional attacking style of play with new head coach Craig Fulton emphasising on having a sound defense.
The Indian women team's superb performance at the Asia Cup, particularly their attacking style, has come in for praise from the continent's hockey fraternity who on Saturday said the country deserves to be in next year's World Cup.
The penalty-corner specialist is expected to fill the void left by Jugraj Singh.
Three years after he resigned as national women's hockey coach on charges of sexual harassment only to be absolved later, Maharaj Krishan Kaushik feels vindicated after Hockey India nominated him to assist Indian men's team coach Michael Nobbs till the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Under Manpreet's captaincy, the Indian team has achieved important milestones,
A traditional rivalry will take centre stage when India take on Pakistan in the semi-finals of the Under-18 Asia Cup hockey tournament in Dhaka, on Thursday.
National hockey coach Rajinder Singh said it was too early to say whether the penalty corner expert would be picked in the Olympics team.
India frittered away a 3-0 lead in the third women's Test between the two countries.
Harendra Singh, who was conferred the Dronacharya award in 2012, served as chief coach of the senior India men's hockey team from 2017 to 2018. Before that, he was also in charge of the Indian women's team for some time.
Dinesh Nayak replaced injured Jugraj Singh in the 18-member Indian team which was announced in New Delhi on Saturday for the Asia Cup hockey tournament starting in Malaysia from September 21.
The Pakistani hockey team booked a place at next year's World Cup in India by winning a qualifying tournament in France at the weekend.
