Ice Hockey Association of India
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| Association name | Ice Hockey Association of India |
|---|---|
| IIHF Code | IND |
| IIHF membership | April 27, 1989 |
| President | Captain A K Sharma |
| IIHF men's ranking | N/A |
| IIHF women's ranking | N/A |
| icehockeyindia.com | |
The Ice Hockey Association of India (IHAI) is the governing body of ice hockey in India. It became a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) on April 27, 1989. However, as of 2014 no teams from India participate in IIHF world championships. The current President of the Association is K. L. Kumar.[1]
In addition to working with other sport organisations in India such as the Indian Olympic Association and the Sports Authority of India to develop hockery infrastructure and construct rinks, the IHAI is seeking corporate sponsors.[2] In April 2015, the players resorted to crowdfunding to take part in an international tournament. The campaign which was started on crowdfunding site, BitGiving saw a tremendous support. The hashtag #SupportIceHockey trended nationwide. The response to the campaign had been "fantastic", yielding the team's first corporate sponsorship deal, with the Mahindra Group. The head of the $16.5-billion conglomerate, Anand Mahindra, tweeted that he had "decided to support these passionate athletes".
Many of the members of the Indian national team, coordinated by the IHAI, are recruited from clubs associated with military units and regiments.[3] The IHAI has however created programs to introduce the sport to a wider audience, for example through the Learn to Play programs that have been implemented in Ladakh and Kargil and soon will be in Delhi and Mumbai. As an alternative for players interested in the sport but who due to climate do not have access to outdoor ice rinks, the association will begin holding programs in in-line hockey as well. This will build on existing in-line hockey being played informally in Gujarat and Mumbai.[4]
In 2015, the Ice Hockey Association of India sent the men's national team to Canada to play a game against the ECHL's Brampton Beast.[5] On the team's trip through Canada in October 2015 the team will also play the CWHL's Calgary Inferno, according to Adam Sherlip, the only coach Team India has ever had.[6]
The Ice Hockey Association of India is responsible for overseeing all ice hockey in India.[7]
References
- ↑ "India". International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved 2009-06-09.
- ↑ "IHAI: Ice Hockey Association of India". Ice Hockey Association of India. Retrieved 2009-06-09.
- ↑ "Teams". Ice Hockey Association of India. Retrieved 2009-06-09.
- ↑ "Learn to Play Programs". Ice Hockey Association of India. Retrieved 2009-06-09.
- ↑ "BRAMPTON BEAST TO PLAY HISTORIC GAME AGAINST NATIONAL ICE HOCKEY TEAM OF INDIA". Brampton Beast Website. Retrieved 2015-10-04.
- ↑ "India's Hockey Presence Continuing to Grow". The Hockey Writers. Retrieved 2015-10-04.
- ↑ http://www.icehockeyindia.com/ihai.html
External links
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