HI introduces new academies for talent grooming

Two new academies have been introduced by India's hockey adminitrative body, Hockey India, to utilise them as training centres for grooming budding hockey players in the country: the Chandigarh Hockey Academy and the SGPC Hockey Academy.

Spectators at the Chandigarh Hockey Stadium witnessing a hockey match between India and Pakistan in 2004.

Two new academies have been introduced by India's hockey adminitrative body, Hockey India, to utilise them as training centres for grooming budding hockey players in the country.

The Chandigarh Hockey Academy, an initiative by the Chandigarh administration, operates under the supervision of Dr Sarita Malik, Director Sports-cum-Secretary, Chandigarh Hockey Academy. The academy which aims to promote young hockey talent from in and around Chandigarh is owned by The Administrator of the Union Territory, Chandigarh. The academy operates out of the Chandigarh Hockey Stadium, sector 42.

The other academy is the SGPC Hockey Academy which was founded in 2013 under the supervision of and guidance of five Olympians Brig Harcharan Singh, Surinder Singh Sodhi, Ajitpal Singh, Pargat Singh and Rajpal Singh.

The academy is headed by Balwinder Singh. Since its inception in 2013, the insitution has been a host to a number of junior men tournaments. The academy is funded by the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee, Amritsar.