The Evolution of Indian Hockey: From Colonial Introduction to Contemporary Resurgence

Abstract

The history of Indian hockey can thus be narrated as the transition from a colonial implant to a consciousness of nationalist revival. Initially popularized by the British in the mid-19th century, it quickly became a favourite, and India soonbecame a force to reckon with in the sport by the early 20th century. This period witnessed great deeds; the Indian hockey team also won six successive Olympic gold medals between 1928 and 1956 years through players like Dhyan Chand and Balbir Singh. However, the specific features of sports declined steadily from the 1960 Indian administrational problems, the sport’s shift to artificial turf, and the swift rise of cricket. After a brief revival with an Olympic top of the podium in 1980, the sport continued deteriorating until the 1990s and 2000s. Quite a few changes, including infrastructural developments, the starting of professional leagues like the Hockey India league or an emphasis on restructuring junior development, were brought during this period. Such an approach, supported with the help of corporate sponsorship and the experience of international coaches, led to the revival. The climax of this revival was the men’s team winning an Olympic bronze in the Tokyo Olympic Games, their first in 41 years, and the women’s team finishing fourth in the same event. However, issues like irregular funding and deficiencies of infrastructural facilities continue to snowball problems as of now, Indian hockey appears ready to scale the heights it could only dream of formerly, thanks to recent performances which have laid the solid foundation for further advancements.