Hockey tourney from March 1

Hockey India will organise the 15th Hockey India Senior Women National Championship at the Tau Devi Lal Sports Complex, Sector 3, from March 1. While the official announcement for the same was made today, the same was reported on January 31 in these columns.

Sunil Malik, joint secretary, Hockey India, said that Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini would inaugurate the 11-day championship and 30 teams would participate in this event. The matches will be held under floodlights. It will be the first women’s national meet being hosted at the facility since the 2021 Khelo India Youth Games.

The national championship, being organised by the Hockey India and hosted by Hockey Haryana, will also witness multiple stars who have represented India on the international stage. Hockey Haryana records maintain that the association had last hosted the 11th Hockey Sub Junior National (Boys) Championship in 2021 at Uchana, Jind. Jharkhand had won the title, while the host team finished second and was followed by Uttar Pradesh.

In 2021, a new AstroTurf was specially built for hosting hockey matches for the Khelo India Youth Games at the complex.

Meanwhile, Dronacharya awardee coach Sardar Baldev Singh, along with former Indian hockey skipper Rani Rampal and Sunita Rangi from Hockey Haryana, also attended today’s event at the PWD Guest House, Panchkula.