From Village Fields To National Team: Khelo India Strengthens Jharkhand’s Hockey Ecosystem

From village fields to national team: Khelo India strengthens Jharkhand’s hockey ecosystem (Image Source: IANS)

FIH World Cup Hockey Championships: As the senior Indian women’s team scripts its fortunes at the ongoing FIH World Cup Hockey Championships in the Netherlands and Belgium, three districts in Jharkhand – Simdega, Khunti and Gumla – are quietly pursuing a tradition that they have been practising over decades.

Few states have shaped Indian hockey quite like Jharkhand. The current Indian captain, Salima Tete, is a glaring example and she is just one among many.

From Olympic legends to members of today's Indian teams, the state's contribution has been remarkable. Yet, behind every international player lies an ecosystem built over decades—one that combines community passion, government support and, increasingly, the structured talent-development programmes of the Sports Authority of India (SAI).

Today, with more than 5,000 boys and girls training through residential and non-residential programmes across the state, Jharkhand is reinforcing its reputation as one of India's most productive hockey nurseries.

Jharkhand's relationship with hockey stretches back to the early decades of the 20th century. For many tribal communities, the sport evolved into far more than recreation—it became part of everyday life. The state's hockey heritage traces its roots to Jaipal Singh Munda, the captain of India's historic gold medal-winning team at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics. His achievement inspired generations of youngsters across the Chotanagpur Plateau.

Over the decades, that legacy was carried forward by icons including Michael Kindo, Sylvanus Dung Dung, Manohar Topno, Ajit Lakra, Bimal Lakra, Birender Lakra, Asunta Lakra, and Sumrai Tete, the former India captain, Commonwealth Games medallist and Dhyan Chand Award recipient.

Each generation left behind more than medals—it left behind belief.

“Every child in every home across three districts of Jharkhand – Khunti, Simdega and Gumla -- plays hockey. Early in the morning and in the evening, you will find village kids playing hockey in the fields all across Jharkhand. Hockey is an important part of our culture,” veteran coach Jagan Topno said during an interaction with SAI Media.

If there is one district that symbolises Jharkhand's hockey culture, it is Simdega. Often referred to as India's "hockey nursery", the district has consistently produced players who have gone on to represent the country despite limited infrastructure in earlier decades.

That picture is changing. The district now hosts a State Government Hockey Residential Centre catering to boys and girls in the Under-12 to Under-16 age groups, a Centre of Excellence, and multiple non-residential coaching centres spread across Rengari, Jaldega and Kurdeg.

Together, these programmes engage hundreds of young athletes every year.

The transformation reflects a broader shift—from talent emerging despite the system to talent flourishing because of it.

The story is no longer confined to Simdega. Neighbouring Khunti has emerged as another important hub with residential facilities for boys and girls, a dedicated 40-bed girls' hostel, and non-residential coaching centres spread across Govindpur, Torta, Murhu, Khunti and Maranhada.

Across the state, hockey development has expanded steadily. Residential and non-residential centres now operate in Gumla, Kamdara, Konbir, Ranchi, Latehar, Hulhundu and Hazaribagh, while East Singhbhum is home to the Tata Academy and Jamshedpur houses the National Hockey Academy.

Together, these centres have created one of India's widest grassroots hockey networks.

“While SAI has taken a lead in developing hockey in Jharkhand, the Tatas has also played a key role. The steelmakers have set up several rural training centres. They pay around Rs 10,000 to coaches for training young players. There also training centres that offer boarding facilities for young talent,” Topno, who serves as a senior coach at the SAI centre in Ranchi, said.

At the centre of this expanding ecosystem is the Sports Authority of India. SAI's campuses in Ranchi and Hazaribagh, along with the Morabadi Centre of Excellence, have become key destinations for promising players identified from district-level programmes.

The focus extends well beyond coaching.

Young athletes receive scientific training, sports science support, strength and conditioning, physiotherapy, nutrition guidance, psychological preparation and opportunities to compete at higher levels. The approach reflects a growing emphasis on long-term athlete development rather than short-term success.

“SAI conducts selection trials for players aged 10-14 years at several locations across Jharkhand. Those selected are admitted to SAI centres at Ranchi and Hazaribagh and provided top quality training at SAI,” Topno said. For many children from remote tribal villages, these centres represent their first access to world-class sporting infrastructure.

The results are increasingly visible on the national stage.

Players such as Nikki Pradhan, Salima Tete, Sweety Dung Dung and Deepika Soreng have become familiar faces in the senior Indian women's team. The junior women's programme continues to produce exciting talent, including Parvati Topno, Binima Dhan, Sugna Sanga, Nilam Topno, Shruti Kumari—a product of SAI Hazaribagh—and Khilli Kumari. On the men's side, Ashis Tanipurty has emerged as one of the promising names in the junior Indian setup.

Behind every national jersey lies years of patient investment at the grassroots. This is going to receive a significant boost after the Union sports ministry announced the new-look Khelo India Scheme. The 2026–31 scheme provides for an 8X increase in the previous outlay at INR 36,441 Crore and aims at a 10X increase in the number of athletes supported.

Among the nine key elements of the Khelo India Scheme are talent identification, development of infrastructure and sports technology. Jharkhand’s hockey legacy will be augments by virtue of the greater role for states in overall development. As envisioned by the new scheme, the State Action Plan will follow a 60:40 Centre-State cost-sharing model, with funding linked to talent progression, athlete retention, grassroots-to-elite transition and reform-based milestones.

India's ambitions in world hockey depend not only on elite performance but also on the strength of its grassroots pipeline. Jharkhand has demonstrated what sustained investment in young talent can achieve.

The partnership between local communities, the Government of Jharkhand and the Sports Authority of India has created a development model that many other states are beginning to emulate.

Over the last 16 years, Jharkhand’s structured youth development system has translated into success at the Hockey India National Championships, particularly in the women’s categories. The state has secured an impressive 34 medals in women’s competitions alone, including 10 Gold, 11 Silver and 13 Bronze medals, underlining the depth and consistency of its grassroots programme.

The partnership between local communities, the Government of Jharkhand and the Sports Authority of India has created a development model that many other states are beginning to emulate.

And if history is any guide, there is every chance that star will emerge from the hockey fields of Jharkhand.

Article Source: IANS