Hockey India has officially announced the nominees for its 7th Annual Awards 2024, scheduled to be held on March 15, 2025, in New Delhi.
This year’s event holds special significance as it commemorates the 50th anniversary of India’s historic 1975 Hockey World Cup victory — the nation’s first and only title to date.
What makes this year’s ceremony particularly remarkable is the record prize pool of approximately ₹12 crore, the highest in the history of the Hockey India Awards, aiming to recognize and reward outstanding contributions to Indian hockey in 2024.
32 nominees across eight categories
A total of 32 nominees have been shortlisted across eight major categories, celebrating both senior and emerging talent in the sport. The most prestigious honour of the evening — the Hockey India Balbir Singh Sr. Award for Player of the Year — will be given to the best male and female hockey players who have delivered exceptional performances throughout 2024.
Hockey India will also present the Hockey India Jugraj Singh Award for Upcoming Player of the Year (Men) and the Hockey India Asunta Lakra Award for Upcoming Player of the Year (Women). These awards aim to encourage young players who have shown promising potential on the international stage.
Additionally, individual excellence across various playing positions will be acknowledged with awards such as: Hockey India Baljit Singh Award for Goalkeeper of the Year, Hockey India Pargat Singh Award for Defender of the Year, Hockey India Ajit Pal Singh Award for Midfielder of the Year, Hockey India Dhanraj Pillay Award for Forward of the Year.
Apart from player awards, technical officials and coaching staff will also be recognized, ensuring that every stakeholder contributing to the sport’s growth is appreciated.
Special focus on historic milestones
The 7th Annual Awards carry added significance as they align with two major milestones in Indian hockey history:
- 50 years since India’s historic 1975 Hockey World Cup victory, a moment that remains etched in the nation’s sporting legacy.
- 100 years of Indian hockey’s affiliation with the International Hockey Federation (FIH), as India became an official FIH member in 1925.
To mark the occasion, Hockey India will felicitate players from the 2024 Olympic bronze medal-winning squad, along with the Asian Champions Trophy-winning men’s and women’s teams. The Junior Asia Cup-winning men’s and women’s squads from 2024 will also be recognized during the event.
Reflecting on the importance of the awards, Hockey India President Dr. Dilip Kumar Tirkey expressed his excitement about the upcoming event.
“The Hockey India 7th Annual Awards is a platform to honor the incredible talent that has emerged in the past year. Our players have shown remarkable dedication, and these awards serve as a motivation for them to strive harder for global success. We are proud to set a new benchmark with a record prize pool this year,” Tirkey said.
Hockey India Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh further emphasized the organization’s commitment to nurturing Indian hockey’s future.
“These awards are a recognition of not just individual brilliance but also the collective effort of the entire hockey community. We hope this will inspire young players and keep the momentum going for the development of hockey in India,” he stated.
List of top nominations for Hockey India Annual Awards 2024
1. Hockey India Balbir Singh Sr. Award for Player of the Year (Women): Savita Punia, Salima Tete, Sangita Kumari, Navneet Kaur
2. Hockey India Balbir Singh Sr. Award for Player of the Year (Men): Abhishek, Hardik Singh, Harmanpreet Singh, Sukhjeet Singh
3. Hockey India Jugraj Singh Award for Upcoming Player of the Year (Men – Under 21): Arshdeep Singh, Amir Ali, Shardanand Tiwari, Araijeet Singh Hundal
4. Hockey India Asunta Lakra Award for Upcoming Player of the Year (Women – Under 21): Beauty Dungdung, Deepika, Vaishnavi Vithal Phalke, Sunelita Toppo
The award ceremony promises to be an evening of pride, inspiration, and celebration for the hockey fraternity, as India’s top performers in 2024 will be recognized for their stellar contributions to the sport.
