Indian Hockey Federation

Hockey is the national game of India and is played extensively in the country, by all people alike. With the nationalization of the game, the need to have a central administrative body became high. It was then that the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) was formed for governing the game of hockey in India. Though there are several associations that govern the game in India, they are all under the supervision of IHF. The All India Hockey Federation was formed in 1925, with Colonel Bruce Turnbull as President and M. S. Ansari as Secretary. The federation was headquartered in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, during the Scindia Gold Cup tournament. However, IHF was not active in its initial years and was only discerned, after the World War I.

In the year 1927, Indian Hockey Federation was internationally acclaimed, eventually gaining the membership of the International Hockey Federation (FIH). A year later, the federation organized its first National Championships between provinces at Calcutta. The principal goal behind organizing the championship was to select the Indian team for the then, upcoming Amsterdam Olympic Games. The first ever international tour for the Indian team, representing IHF was undertaken, when the Army Hockey team toured to New Zealand. The outstanding performance by the Indian team surprised everyone. The spectators and players from the other teams not only enjoyed the superb performance of the Indians, but were also amazed by it.

With a thunderous start made by the Army Hockey in New Zealand, there was no looking back for Indian hockey. Indian Hockey Federation started organizing more tours for the players, providing them an opportunity to get enough practice to excel in the field of hockey. The efforts put in by the players and the federation was seen when the Indian hockey team dominated the sport in Olympic Games for almost three decades in a row. Under the supervision of the IHF, the Indian team ruled the international forum of hockey and won six straight gold medals in the championship from 1928 to 1956. In 1934, the structure of the IHF changed. It inducted two Vice Presidents and a Treasurer, thereby extending the already two-member IHF body of President and Secretary to a five-member body.

In the year 1947, Mr. Naval Tata took over as the first President of the Indian Hockey Federation of Independent India. He remained in charge for a long period, until Ashwini Kumar became the new president, who was later replaced, by MAM Ramaswamy in 1974. Some time later, headquarter of IHF shifted base to New Delhi, India's capital. In the present times, Indian Hockey Federation is headed by the President, who is assisted by eight Vice-Presidents. The other officials include the Secretary General, the Treasurer, Three joint Secretaries, and also a paid Assistant Secretary. Apart from this, there are additional 30 members in the IHF, as well. The main aim of the federation is to promote, encourage and develop the game of hockey in India and holds a number of inter-member tournaments and National Championship Tournaments.