Indian men's hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh said the honour is a recognition of his "fascinating" journey in which he still has plenty more to achieve.
The Indian women were on Saturday relegated from the FIH Pro Hockey League after losing to China 0-3 in their penultimate match, a result which placed them at the bottom of the points table.
India defenders Harmanpreet Singh and Udita stole the show as they emerged as the most costliest players in the auction of Hockey India League.
Indian women's hockey stalwart Vandana Katariya has retired from international hockey after a 15-year career, stating that she is stepping away at the "zenith" of her career.
Trailing by two goals, Spain pressed on the accelerator, earning a couple of penalty corners in the final quarter but the Indian defence stood tall in the absence of skipper Harmanpreet Singh, who was rested for the game.
India clubbed with Egypt, Switzerland, Jamaica in inaugural Men's Hockey5s World Cup
Former India hockey captain Zafar Iqbal does not see the national team ending its three-decade old medal drought at the London Olympics this year, but is of the opinion that a semi final berth would be a great achievement for the eight-time champions.
The former Olympian acknowledged that while the PHF's financial situation was challenging and that players had faced delays in their travel allowances and daily subsistence payments, these issues did not justify abandoning the national team and bringing disrepute to the country.
The Kookaburras stunned the visitors once again by taking the lead a minute later through Willot, who deflected the ball in front of the Indian goalkeeper Krishan Bahadur Pathak from Nathan Ephraums's inch-perfect pass.
The Indian men's hockey team won an Olympic medal for the first time in 41 years on Thursday after beating Germany.
India's men's hockey team clinched a second successive bronze medal at the Olympics for the first time in 52 years after a come-from-behind 2-1 victory win over Spain, giving veteran goalkeeper P R Sreejesh a fitting farewell in Paris on Thursday.
India have won three medals in the World Cup so far -- a third place finish in the inaugural edition in 1971, followed by a silver in 1973 and gold in 1975 at Kuala Lumpur.
Here are glimpses of the ecstatic Indian hockey team...
India captain Harmanpreet Singh is excited to resume the rivalry against Pakistan in the most-awaited round-robin match of the Asian Champions Trophy on Saturday.
India mauled minnows Thailand 13-0 to register their third consecutive win at the women's Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament in Rajgir, Bihar on Thursday.
India stunned Tokyo Games silver medallist and their biggest nemesis Australia 3-2 in Paris on Friday
Nita Ambani extended her congratulations to India's triumphant athletes
The chief minister said the state government is working wholeheartedly for the promotion of sports.
The Indian men's hockey coach Harendra Singh is determined to seal India's 2020 Olympic berth in the upcoming Asian Games as he feels it will give the eight-time winners ample time to become realistic medal contenders in Tokyo.
Three-time champions India defeated hosts Malaysia 4-2 to continue their unbeaten run at the Sultan of Johor Cup junior men's hockey tournament in Johor Bahru on Tuesday.
The inexperienced Indian team meet Pakistan in the last match of the four-Test series on Friday.
The para-athletes outnumbered the able-bodied ones in the list this time due to the magnificent Paris Paralympics performance in which they returned with 29 medals, including seven gold and nine silver.
India's other gold medals came in 1966 and 1998, both times in Bangkok.
Harmanpreet, Sreejesh shortlisted for FIH Hockey Stars Awards
Vandana Katariya scored from a penalty corner to help the Indian women's hockey team stun world number 3 Australia 1-0 in the FIH Pro League.
'No opponent takes us lightly anymore and they talk about us as a team that does well in knockouts' 'We not only focus on improving individually but also encourage each other and tell ourselves that we need to perform as a unit to leave a mark at the Olympics this time'
Rajpal Singh and experienced forward Surinder Kaur will lead India's challenge in the men's and women's hockey events respectively at the Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, from November 12-27. Both teams leave for the quadrennial Games on Friday.
HI Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh suggested that if the Pakistan hockey team can come to India, then the Men in Blue should also tour their neighbouring country.
The Indian men's hockey team dished out a much-improved performance as compared to its previous game but it still lost 2-4 to Australia in the second Test of the five-match series in Perth on Sunday.
Harmanpreet Singh led from the front as he converted two penalty corners to hand unbeaten India a close 2-1 victory over Pakistan.
The Indian junior men's hockey team began its campaign in the Sultan of Johor Cup with a 4-2 win over Japan in Johor on Saturday.
Manu Bhaker has been shockingly ignored for this year's Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award, a top sports ministry source has asserted
Pakistan head coach Muhammad Saqlain on Tuesday said India are not playing 'structural hockey' as the two arch rivals prepared for their clash in the ongoing Asian Champions Trophy hockey.
PM Modi, Sports Minister Mandaviya lead tributes to Olympian Dhyan Chand on Thursday, August 29, his birth anniversary.
The team's fourth-place finish in the FIH Qualifiers dashed their hopes of Olympic qualification.
Drag-flicker Sandeep Singh will lead an 18-member squad as India sets out to defend its crown in the eighth Asia Cup hockey tournament in Kuantan, Malaysia from May 9 to 16.
India downed Pakistan in the final of the Men's Hockey5s Asia Cup.
Despite a tense final quarter that saw multiple penalty corners, Spain's defence stood firm to deny Germany an equaliser.
India are a formidable hockey side in their own den but if the erstwhile giants of the game want to play in their second consecutive Commonwealth Games final they will need to overcome challenges away from home, feels Australia hockey legend Jamie Dwyer.
Three-time champions Pakistan's cup of woes filled to the brim as they went down to New Zealand 2-4 and finished finish eighth, their worst ever showing in their 15 appearances in the Olympic hockey competition, at the Beiging Games on Thursday.
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