Only a few players become legends in their playing days and Sunil Chhetri belonged to that rare tribe, India's head coach Igor Stimac said in a glowing tribute to the talismanic skipper, who will hang his boots on June 6.
Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, International Hockey Federation president Tayyab Ikram and Hockey India chairman Dilip Tirkey were present at the glittering ceremony to welcome members of all the 16 participating teams.
Shaili Singh, 19, jumped 6.76m -- the second longest distance by an Indian woman in April, behind Anju Bobby George's record mark of 6.83m, which has stood for 19 years.
India open FIFA women's U-17 WC campaign against USA with hope to get at least a point
Dabang Mumbai and Kalinga Lancers entered the finals of the fifth edition of Coal India Hockey India League by winning their respective semi-finals against Delhi Waveriders and Uttar Pradesh Wizards at the Sector 42 Hockey Stadium in Chandigarh on Saturday.
In the first quarter-final of the day, Germany eked out a narrow 3-1 win over Spain via the shoot-out after both the teams were locked at 2-2 in regulation time. Later, Argentina beat the Netherlands 2-1.
The visiting side scored through Moustafa Tarek Mashal (4th minute), Almeoz Ali (47th) and Yusuf Adurisag (86th).
The team has shifted base from NIS Patiala, which is cold at the peak of winter, to the Odisha capital, which will be comparatively warmer.
A last minute goal by Gonzalo Peillat helped Uttar Pradesh Wizards hold Kalinga Lancers to a 2-2 draw in a thrilling match of the Hockey India League in Lucknow on Friday.
Thousands of yoga enthusiasts from across the world rolled out their yoga mats as they joined day-long sessions of the ancient Indian practice to commemorate the 10th International Day of Yoga on Friday.
Germany ended Belgium's dominance in global hockey in the last five years after yet another stunning comeback from two-goal deficit to beat the defending champions in the penalty shoot-out to win the FIH Hockey Men's World Cup for a third time, in Bhubaneswar, on Sunday.
The lone athlete to start outdoor training after relaxation in lockdown guidelines, sprinter Dutee Chand only has the "eerie silence" of the stands for company as she tries "to wake" her body up at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar. The 24-year-old Dutee began outdoor training on Monday after the Odisha government gave permission as per relaxed guidelines for COVID-19 lockdown's fourth phase, stepping out for the first time on a synthetic track in two months.
Budhia's mother Sukanti, who earned Rs 2000 per month by working as a peon in an engineering college, had said that she was unable to provide proper food to Budhia, which was required as a marathon runner.
Images from Indian Super League matches played on Saturday.
India will face Pakistan in their opening outing at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on Wednesday
Captain Sunil Chhetri rose to the occasion with his 87th international goal as India won the Intercontinental Cup after beating Lebanon 2-0 in the final.
Veteran captain Lee Nam Yong, 39, was also among the scorers as he struck the equalising goal in the 56th minute while Kim Sunghyun (18th) and Jeong Junwoo (20th) scored the other goals for the South Koreans in the regulation time.
Images from the opening day's action in the FIH men's Hockey World Cup in Odisha.
India's men's hockey team slumped to its second defeat in the FIH Pro League, beaten 3-5 by Spain in the second match of their two-legged tie, at the Kalinga stadium, in Bhubaneswar, on Sunday.
India produced an impressive display but wasted chances galore as they held defending champions and world number two Australia to a 1-1 draw in their opening pool match of the Hockey World League Final, in Bhubaneswar, on Friday.
India wasted a golden opportunity to break their 32-year-old medal jinx in the Champions Trophy hockey tournament after going down to Australia 1-2 in a hard-fought bronze medal play-off match of the eight-nation meet in Bhubaneswar on Sunday.
The Indian men's hockey team climbed two places in the latest FIH rankings following back-to-back wins in the Pro League matches.
The triumph also took Germany to the top of FIH world rankings from the pre-tournament fourth place.
India lead South Africa 2-0 after the first quarter in their opening Pool C match of the 2018 Hockey World Cup at the Kalinga stadium, Bhubaneshwar, on Wednesday.
New Zealand have nothing to lose. It is India who will be under pressure in Sunday's knock-out crossover match against the Black Sticks in the men's Hockey World Cup, says Graham Reid, the home side's head coach.
'We are exchanging in quarters. He is getting exposure while I have got enough experience. It is a good thing for the future.'
Not only the senior team but the young Blue Colts also emerged victorious in the SAFF Men's U-19 champions after hammering Pakistan in the final and clinching a vigorous 3-0 victory.
It was our own mistake that we went to the restricted area without our knowledge, acknowledges India captain Manpreet Singh.
The absence of top stars took some sheen away but India's record-breaking medal haul and a maiden top-of-the-table finish made the just-concluded 22nd Asian Athletics Championship here a memorable one.
'To play my first World Cup match in front of a packed home ground against Pakistan felt like a dream. I can still feel the atmosphere, how the stadium was, how people reacted and how we won that match. That was the best moment for me as a youngster.'
Australia beat Spain to enter World Cup last four for 12th time on the trot
Captain Harmanpreet Singh wants the young Indian hockey players to get familiar with the playing styles of the best teams in the world during the FIH Pro League, and hoped the country would seal a direct qualification for the 2026 World Cup with a title-winning run in Bhubaneswar.
India made a shock exit from the FIH Men's World Cup after losing to New Zealand in sudden death in their must-win crossover match.
Famed music director A R Rahman will perform in both the opening events in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.
All the results from the I-League and ISL matches played on Saturday.
Dominating the proceedings, Netherlands scored five field goals through Lars Balk (16th minute), Robert Kemperman (20th), Thijs van Dam (40th, 58th) and Thierry Brinkman (41st) to register the comfortable win at the Kalinga Stadium.
India will seek to end 43 years of hurt when they begin the Hockey World Cup campaign against South Africa on Wednesday.
In the shoot-out, the hosts won 3-2 to pocket two points (including a bonus) as against England's one.
Long jumper Murali Sreeshankar on Sunday 'voluntarily' gave dope sample to the NADA officials after producing a big leap of 8.41m to qualify for the upcoming World Championships so that 'nobody points any finger of suspicion'.
Four Indian quarter-milers running below 53 seconds augurs well for the country's hopes of winning six straight Asian Games gold in women's 4x400m relay since 2002.
