News for 03 January 2023
All the news for Tuesday 3 January 2023
FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela: 10 days to go!
In exactly 10 days the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela will burst into action and thrill hockey fans all over the world, as the joint venues of Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar and the brand-new Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela play host to the 15th edition of the premier FIH men’s tournament in the world! 
10 Days To Go: "Indian dressing room is brimming with anticipation and excitement in equal measure," says Captain Harmanpreet Singh
International teams and global hockey fans will start arriving in the hockey-crazy Odisha for 4th January 
Rourkela: With just 10 days left for the start of the FIH Odisha Hockey Men's World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela, the Captain of the Indian Men's Hockey Team expressed the mood in the dressing room at the stellar Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium. As hosts, India is fancied to finish on the podium and the expectations are far greater this time particularly after the team's stupendous performance at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 where they ended a 41-year long wait to stand on the podium again by bagging the Bronze Medal.
'No over-dependence on Harmanpreet Singh': Graham Reid confident before Hockey WC
The Bridge sat down with Indian hockey team head coach Graham Reid to dig deep into questions like over-reliance on Harmanpreet Singh, goalkeeping debate and pressure before Hockey World Cup 2023.
By Pritish Raj
The Indian men's hockey team with coach Graham Reid (Hockey India)
Odisha is gearing up for the upcoming 2023 Men's Hockey World Cup to be held from 13th January to 29th January with new world-class stadiums and a lot of new infrastructure and glamour in the cities of Rourkela and Bhubaneswar.
India to draw on FIH Pro League, CWG positives to excel in World Cup
Indian hockey players (TOI Photo)
BENGALURU: The Indian men's hockey team will draw on its experience of playing against Spain and England in the FIH Pro League and Wales in the Commonwealth Games to negotiate their way in the group stage of the World Cu p to be held in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela beginning this month.
Team India would be ruthless in high-pressure games, says coach BJ Kariappa
Madhav Agarwal
There is something about hockey World Cups, Team India has somehow just found ways to throw away all their hard work into the gutter. Even though we are still most successful side in the Olympics with eight golds, one silver, and three bronzes, but that has not culminated in World Cup domination.
Ashran eager to shine at Hockey World Cup
By Aftar Singh
Ashran Hamsani. - NSTP file pic
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian National player Ashran Hamsani is determined to make an impact on his debut at the Hockey World Cup in India on Jan 13-29.
Hockey legend gives Malaysian World Cup squad valuable advice
By Aftar Singh 
Datuk Seri N. Sri Shanmuganathan (inset) wishes to see the national hockey squad do well at the Hockey World Cup in India. - NSTP file pic
KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri N. Sri Shanmuganathan celebrated his 76th birthday today and his wish is to see the national squad perform to their full potential at the Hockey World Cup in India (Jan 13-29).
Hockey Social: France midfielder Timothée Clément
France midfielder Timothée Clément aims to follow in his father's footsteps PIC: Worldsportpics
In our anything goes Q&A, we speak to players and coaches on topics ranging from temptations, influences, fashion sense and match teas. This time: Timothée Clément, who is a travelling reserve for the men’s World Cup
World’s largest field hockey stadium: Lahore’s National Hockey Stadium is No. 1
India's Chandigarh Hockey Stadium is the second biggest while the newly-built Birsa Munda stadium in Odisha is not far behind.
By Aarish Ansari
(Picture by Justin Setterfield)
Field hockey traces its roots back to 2000 BC when the Iranians used to play an ancient form of the sport. Since then, hockey has evolved and the venues it is played in have also grown larger.
Pinoké’s Van Hattum looking forward to dream come true
Pinoké captain Jannis van Hattum says it is a “dream come true” to be looking forward to a special EHL FINAL8 following a long time in the making for the Amstelveen club.
PM Women’s Hockey Camp gets underway in Charsadda
PESHAWAR - Two-day Prime Minister of Pakistan Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif Youth Talent Hunt Programme Girls’ Hockey Training and Coaching Camp got underway at Abdul Wali Khan Sports Complex’s AstroTurf in Charsadda District.
Former Uganda International Umpire Kirpal Bahra passes away
by Dil Bahra
Kirpal Singh Bahra, the former Uganda International umpire passed away in Watford, Hertfordshire in the UK on 22nd December 2022 aged 85.
He was a well known umpire in the East African area during the late 60s and mid 70s when Hockey in that region was of a very high standard and India and Pakistan visited regularly. The East African Hockey Championships (Rahim Jivraj Trophy) were held regularly involving Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi and later on from 1971 Ghana, Nigeria and UAR.
Kirpal was born in Nakuru, Kenya on 19th July 1937. His parents had emigrated from India to Kenya in 1921.
After his primary school education at Government Primary School in Nakuru, the family moved to Nairobi at the end of 1947. He studied at Technical High School in Nairobi where he played hockey for his school team.
He played for Railway Club Nairobi. He joined Shell in 1958 and played for the Shell Hockey Section in the local league.
His work took him to Uganda in 1966 and he played for Ramgarhia Sikh Sports Club Kampala until 1974.
Kirpal in action waiting to start a match
He took up umpiring and was appointed to umpire his first international match, Zambia v Kenya on 4th August 1968 during the East African Championship in Kampala, Uganda. From then he umpired regularly at the Annual East African Championships until 1984. He was one of only two international umpires in Uganda during that period.
Although most of the Asians left Uganda in 1972 after being expelled by dictator Idi Amin, Kirpal stayed back. The Uganda National Hockey team which had competed at the Munich 1972 Olympic Games in August and September 1972 had disbanded, with nearly all the players fleeing the country. Kirpal assisted in training and forming a new team which went on to compete at the East African Championships held in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania in August 1973. He was appointed as Uganda’s Assistant Team Manager for the Championships and also umpired there.
In 1974 he was posted to Zambia and he played for Sikh Union Lusaka.
Sikh Union Lusaka, Zambia in July 1982. Kirpal is back row, standing third from left
He was awarded his FIH International Umpire Badge on 22nd March 1974.
He immigrated to the UK in 1985 and resided in Bushy, Hertfordshire.
Kirpal had a wide knowledge of hockey in East Africa which will be greatly missed. He visited The Hockey Museum in Woking, Surrey in the UK in 2012 where he told volunteers present that day about hockey in East Africa and Zambia in particular.
Sikhs in Hockey