Hockey India Announces Rs 12 Crore Prize Pool for Annual Awards

Hockey India has unveiled a record prize pool of Rs 12 crore for its 7th Annual Awards, set to take place this Saturday. The prestigious event will honour 32 nominated players across eight categories, celebrating standout performances from the 2024 hockey season.  

The most coveted award of the evening will be the Balbir Singh Sr Award for Player of the Year, which will recognize the best male and female players of the season.  

Young talents will also be celebrated through the Jugraj Singh Award for Upcoming Player of the Year (Men) and the Asunta Lakra Award for Upcoming Player of the Year (Women), spotlighting promising under-21 players.  

Additionally, players excelling in specific positions will be honoured with awards such as:  

– Baljit Singh Award for Goalkeeper of the Year  

– Pargat Singh Award for Defender of the Year  

– Ajit Pal Singh Award for Midfielder of the Year  

– Dhanraj Pillay Award for Forward of the Year   

This year’s awards coincide with the 50th anniversary of India’s historic 1975 Hockey World Cup victory, the country’s first and only world title to date. The event will also mark the beginning of a century of Indian hockey, as 2025 will commemorate 100 years since India’s affiliation with the International Hockey Federation (FIH) on November 7, 1925.  

Adding to the celebrations, the bronze medal-winning men’s Olympic team, the Asian Champions Trophy-winning men’s and women’s teams, and the Junior Asia Cup-winning squads will also be felicitated.  

Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey expressed the significance of the event, stating:  

“The Hockey India 7th Annual Awards 2024 is a celebration of the extraordinary talent we have in Indian hockey. It’s not just about recognising individual achievements but honouring the collective spirit of Indian hockey that has shone through in 2024.”

List of Nominations  

Balbir Singh Sr Award for Player of the Year  

– Women: Savita Punia, Salima Tete, Sangita Kumari, Navneet Kaur  

– Men: Abhishek, Hardik Singh, Harmanpreet Singh, Sukhjeet Singh  

Baljit Singh Award for Goalkeeper of the Year  

– Bichu Devi Kharibam, Krishan Bahadur Pathak, PR Sreejesh, Savita  

Pargat Singh Award for Defender of the Year  

– Sanjay, Amit Rohidas, Harmanpreet Singh, Udita  

Ajit Pal Singh Award for Midfielder of the Year  

– Jarmanpreet Singh, Hardik Singh, Nilakanta Sharma, Sumit  

– Lalremsiami, Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh, Navneet Kaur  

Asunta Lakra Award for Upcoming Player of the Year (Women – U21)  

– Beauty Dungdung, Deepika, Vaishnavi Vithal Phalke, Sunelita Toppo  

Jugraj Singh Award for Upcoming Player of the Year (Men – U21)  

– Arshdeep Singh, Amir Ali, Shardanand Tiwari, Araijeet Singh Hundal  

With a historic milestone approaching and an ever-growing pool of talented players, Indian hockey continues to thrive on the global stage. The Hockey India Annual Awards 2024 will serve as a grand tribute to the sport’s legacy and the stars who keep the nation’s hockey dreams alive.