Hockey India announces dates for 6th National Championships

Hockey India has announced the dates for the 6th National Championships 2016, starting from January 29 at Nagaon, Assam.

The tournaments are an annual event featuring the best hockey players across India in the senior, junior and sub-junior categories.

The Sub-Junior division of the 6th Hockey India National Championships will be played in two categories viz; A & B for the women at Guwahati and Nagaon in Assam from the January 29 to February 16, while Imphal in Manipur would host the men from the May 6 to May 22.

The senior division matches similarly would be played at Saifai, Itawa in Uttar Pradesh from April 11 to May 1 for the men's teams and at Bengaluru from April 19 onwards for the women's teams.

The junior division matches would be held at Raipur from the April 12 to April 24 for the men's teams and Ranchi, Jharkhand would host the women's teams from the April 24 onwards.

Speaking on the occasion, Hockey India Secretary General Mohd Mushtaque Ahmad said, "I am delighted and eager for the action to begin in the 6th Hockey India National Championships from January 2016. These championships have brought forward the future stars of Indian hockey and its nothing less than an honour to see how youngsters from all corners of the country are working hard towards making a career for themselves in the sport. I am confident that the national championships next year are going to unearth some bright future stars for Indian hockey."

The 6th edition of the Hockey India National Championship will see the Railways Sports Promotion Board defend their titles in both the Senior Men and Senior Women categories.

Similarly Hockey Odisha would play to defend the Junior Men title while Hockey Haryana would be defending the Junior Women title. Hockey Odisha and Hockey Punjab would be defending the Sub - Junior Men and Women category respectively.

The tournament this year is expected to be a preferred hunting ground for various selectors from across the country, given the recent upsurge of the sport of Hockey in India thanks to a consistent performance from the Indian men and eves and them qualifying for the much awaited Rio Olympics 2016.