Published on: May 10, 2025
By: BTI
Location: Bishrampur, India
In a key initiative to boost hockey development in Chhattisgarh, a high-level meeting was held under the leadership of Chhattisgarh Hockey President Mr. Firoz Ansari at the SECL Community Hall in Bishrampur. The meeting focused on strengthening grassroots hockey, organizing tournaments, and expanding sports infrastructure across the Surguja division.
Representatives from five districts – Surguja, Korea, Surajpur, Balrampur, and Jashpur – participated in the meeting, where several strategic decisions were made. These included the organization of divisional-level hockey competitions, distribution of hockey sticks to all registered players, and financial aid of ₹10,000 to each district association for hosting district-level tournaments.
One of the major announcements was the proposal to establish Khelo India Hockey Centres in Surguja and Surajpur districts to nurture local talent. The review of last year’s hockey activities and the formulation of an annual hockey calendar also formed part of the agenda. It was further decided to hold state-level men’s and women’s hockey championships to elevate the sport’s profile in the region.
President Firoz Ansari emphasized the importance of grassroots competitions to identify emerging talent and reiterated his commitment to united efforts for the advancement of hockey in the state. Post-meeting, Mr. Ansari, along with other officials, visited the Ambikapur hockey ground to meet with players and inspect the facilities.
In a significant development, Mr. Ansari and a delegation of hockey officials met with former Deputy Chief Minister and President of the Surguja Hockey Association, Mr. T.S. Singhdeo, at his residence “Tapasya.” The delegation included Hockey Association Secretary Rajesh Singh, former Chairman of the Chhattisgarh Minority Commission Mohammad Shafi, Anupam Philip, and other key officials.
The meeting centered around reviving the demand for an international-standard AstroTurf hockey stadium in Surguja. Mr. Singhdeo expressed strong support for the initiative and assured that the proposal would be re-submitted to the government. He reaffirmed his commitment to promoting hockey by improving training facilities and infrastructure to benefit local players.
The discussions also covered plans for local tournaments, training camps, and talent development programs, aiming to usher in a new era for hockey in the Surguja division.
