India marks a century of hockey excellence with celebrations at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium and across 500 districts, featuring legends like Gurbux Singh and Aslam Sher Khan. The event honors India’s eight Olympic golds and recent podium finishes, inspiring a new generation as hockey surges toward fresh Olympic success.
India celebrated 100 years of its rich hockey heritage on November 7, 2025, with grand festivities at the iconic Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi. The centenary event was graced by hockey legends, Olympic gold medallists Gurbux Singh and Aslam Sher Khan, among others, and led by Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya.
Key Highlights:
The celebration marks 100 years since the founding of the Indian Hockey Federation in 1925, underscoring hockey’s central role in India’s Olympic success story with eight gold medals and 13 podium finishes to date.
An exhibition match between the Sports Minister’s XI and Hockey India XI featuring men’s and women’s national players showcased roaring spirit and gender parity.
Nationwide, over 1,000 exhibition matches engaged more than 36,000 players across 500 districts, transforming the milestone into a truly national celebration connecting school athletes, veterans, and community teams.
The event also featured the FIH Junior Men’s World Cup 2025 trophy tour kickoff, linking India’s hockey future with its storied past.
Hockey India’s President Dr. Dilip Tirkey highlighted the inspiration drawn from past stalwarts fueling India’s resurgence in recent Olympics, including the bronze at Paris 2024 with captain Harmanpreet Singh as top scorer.
Tributes were paid to legends whose dedication laid the foundation for Indian hockey’s prominence, reinforcing a sense of pride, unity, and ongoing excellence.
This centenary celebration not only honors India’s golden hockey history but also energizes the sport’s present and future, symbolizing the nation’s enduring passion and pursuit of Olympic glory.
Sources: Press Information Bureau, Olympics.com, The Hindu BusinessLine, Times of India, PIB, NDTV, Daily Excelsior.