Sprint legend P T Usha was on Thursday named chairperson of the selection committee for this year's national sports awards, while hockey icon Ashok Kumar was appointed head of the panel to pick the Dronacharya awardees. The 17-member panel to select the winners of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Arjuna and Dhyan Chand awards also includes tennis ace Leander Paes and Olympic bronze medallist weightlifter Karnam Malleswari.
Rani Rampal led the team to historic victories in the Women's Asia Cup in 2017, silver at the 2018 Asian Games and played a critical role in the FIH Olympic Qualifiers in 2019 by scoring the deciding goal that helped India qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.
The Sports Ministry has given Hockey India clearance to host the 33rd FIH Champions Trophy and next year's Olympic qualifying tournament.
India's disastrous hockey World Cup campaign ended with a 2-4 defeat to Argentina, consigning them to eighth place in the mega-event, in Delhi, on Friday.
Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has barred Sports Minister Aijaz Hussain Jakhrani from attending the opening ceremony of the hockey World Cup in Delhi, according to a media report in Islamabad, on Saturday. Jakhrani was scheduled to visit India to attend the opening ceremony of the World Cup and also watch the match between India and Pakistan at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium on Sunday.
Star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra is among the 20 sportspersons picked for the Arjuna Awards, who will be honoured by President Ram Nath Kovind at the Rashtrapati Bhawan.
Gurpreet Singh struck a brace as Pune Strykers notched up a 3-1 victory over hosts Delhi Wizards in their second match of the World Series Hockey tournament at the Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi on Saturday.
Italy defeated Ukraine 2-1 while Canada saw off Poland 1-0 in the women's hockey qualifier for the London Olympics at the Dhyan Chand National Stadium, in Delhi, on Wednesday.
Indian eves continued their winning run with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Poland in their third match of the qualifier for the London Olympics, at the Dhyan Chand National Stadium, in New Delhi on Tuesday.
Ukraine stunned higher-ranked Canada 5-2, while Italy held top-ranked South Africa to a 1-1 draw in the London Olympics women's hockey qualifier at Dhyan Chand National stadium in Delhi on Tuesday.
Top-ranked South Africa and Italy registered convincing victories in the women's hockey qualifiers for the London Olympics at the Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi on Sunday.
Indian eves dished out a dominating performance to notch up a convincing 4-1 victory over Canada in their second match of the London Olympic qualifiers at the Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi on Sunday.
A second half goal being disallowed, Indian women were held to a surprise 1-1 draw by a lowly Ukraine in their opening match of London Olympics hockey qualifiers at the Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi on Saturday.
The Indian women's team will look to break a 32-year-old jinx as they mount a challenge for a berth in the London Olympic Games taking on a lowly Ukraine in their opening match of the qualifier at the Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi on Saturday.
With just 11 days left for the London Olympic qualifiers, Indian hockey coach Michael Nobbs is busy fine-tuning the minute aspects, which according to him should help the players avoid the mistakes that cost the team dearly in the recent past.
Promising youngster Yuvraj Walmiki struck twice as India registered a thrilling 4-3 victory over South Africa in the fourth hockey Test on Friday as they clinched the five-match series 3-1.
Indian eves on Wednesday registered a 3-0 victory over a hapless Azerbaijan in the third match to keep their slate clean in the four-Test hockey series at the Major Dhyan Chand National stadium, in New Delhi, on Wednesday.
Drag-flicker Sandeep Singh's late penalty-corner goal handed India a 2-1 victory over South Africa in the second hockey Test in Delhi on Tuesday. India leads the five-Test series 2-0 after their second successive victory. The home team had on Monday defeated South Africa 4-0.
India eked out a 2-1 victory over Azerbaijan in the second women's hockey Test to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-match series at the Major Dhyan Chand National stadium, in Delhi, on Monday.
The Indian woman's team's preparation for next month's Olympic qualifiers kicked off in style as they defeated Azerbaijan 3-0 in the first hockey Test at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, in New Delhi on Sunday.
World Chess Champion Viswanathan Anand, on Thursday, said it will be a great honour if he receives the Bharat Ratna but made it clear that he would never lobby for the coveted award or suggest any names.
Eyeing to clinch its maiden medal in the Commonwealth Games, the Indian men's hockey team will start as favourites against a tricky Malaysia in their opening pool A encounter at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi.
Embarrassed by India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh's failure to turn up for the Padma Shri awards last Wednesday, the government issued a notification saying National sports awards, like the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Arjuna, Dhronacharya and Dhyanchand, will be withdrawn if the recipient is absent from the ceremony without intimation.
The aim to ensure a steady revenue and corporate sponsorship for sports, besides keeping infrastructure in use.
The defence ministry, in March, had circulated an office memorandum to the three services and various ministries and departments on the planning for the 2024 parade, they said.
Joseph Galibardy, the oldest living hockey Olympian who donned India colours at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, passed away on May 17 in Walthamstow, England. He was 96. The funeral is on May 31, 12 noon, at Our Lady and St Georges Church, 132 Shernall Street, Walthamstow E17 9HU.
Bottom placed Argentina scored their first win of the tournament, edging past New Zealand with a solitary goal in their penultimate Pool A match of the Hero Honda Hockey World Cup at Dhyan Chand National Stadium on Sunday.
India suffered their second straight defeat in the men's hockey World Cup, going down 2-5 to Spain in a fast-paced Pool B encounter at the Major Dhyan Chand National stadium in Delhi on Thursday night. It was another humiliating defeat for the hosts after the mauling by Australia by a similar margin.
European champion England registered the first upset of the Hero Honda FIH World Cup, stunning Olympic silver medallist Australia 3-2 in second Pool B match of the quadrennial event at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium on Sunday.
The much anticipated encounter between India and Pakistan on inaugural day of the hockey World Cup would be one of the most exciting matches of the 12-team quadrennial event, feels veteran Dutch goalkeeper Guus Vogels.
Images from Day 7 of the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games.
Ace drag-flicker Sandeep Singh and Shivendra Singh scored a double each as India thrashed Pakistan 7-4 in a must-win Pool A match to storm into the semi-finals of the men's hockey event in the Commonwealth Games, at the packed Major Dhyan Chand National stadium, on Sunday.
Images from Day 1 of the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games.
Reigning silver medalists India were held to a 1-1 draw by lowly Scotland in their opening Pool A match of the women's hockey event at the Commonwealth Games, at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium on Monday. The Indians fought back from a 0-1 deficit and scored through Jasjeet Kaur Handa (45th minute) after Scotland took the lead in the third minute from a Holly Gram field goal.
Former Indian women's hockey team captain Rani Rampal announced her retirement on Thursday, ending a glittering 16-year career.
The 12th edition of hockey's showpiece event at the Major Dhyan Chand Stadium produced 199 goals from 38 matches, ncluding the classification games, at an average of 5.24 goals per match.
While Germany, the defending champions, stayed on course for a historic hat-trick of World Cup crowns with a 4-1 victory over England in the first semi-final, the Aussies, who lost to the Germans in the last two editions of hockey's showpiece event, got the better of The Netherlands 2-1 in a closely-contested match later.
Going by the teams' past 4-4 win-loss record in World Cups, there is little to separate the two hockey powerhouses. But a win on Thursday will not only earn one of them a spot in the title clash, but also give them the edge when it boils down to rivalry between the two countries in the tournament.
Images from the 12th men's Hockey World Cup Pool A final round of matches on Tuesday.
Desmond Abbott struck twice to lead Australia to a come from behind 2-1 win over Pakistan and into the semifinals of the hockey World Cup at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi on Monday.
