Overview
- Sports Authority of India and Hockey India hosted the centenary at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium with Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Kiren Rijiju and FIH President Dato Tayyab Ikram in attendance.
- Mandaviya pledged continued government backing for players, while Ikram praised India’s renewed momentum from the Tokyo and Paris Olympic cycles.
- The celebration opened with an exhibition match won 3–1 by the Sports Minister’s XI over the Hockey India XI, with goals from Beauty Dungdung, Salima Tete and Krishna Pathak and a reply from Manpreet Singh.
- Hockey India felicitated past icons and launched the commemorative book “100 Years of Indian Hockey,” paired with a photo exhibition of archival images and memorabilia.
- A 20‑city Junior World Cup trophy tour was unveiled and a nationwide festival spanned 500 districts with 1,000‑plus matches involving over 36,000 players, as Pune veterans urged concrete steps to revive grassroots participation.