National Women’s Hockey League 2024-25 kicks off in Ranchi: A watershed moment for Indian women’s domestic hockey structure

The National Women’s Hockey League 2024-25 has officially begun, marking a significant moment for Indian women’s domestic hockey. The secretary general of Hockey India, Bhola Nath Singh, expressed his excitement for the league, stating that it will raise the bar for domestic competition and provide a crucial platform for top domestic players to showcase their talent.

The opening ceremony of the league took place at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh AstroTurf Hockey Stadium in Ranchi, where Sandeep Pradhan, Director General of the Sports Authority of India (SAI), interacted with players from all eight participating teams. These teams, which include Hockey Haryana, Hockey Maharashtra, and Hockey Jharkhand, among others, are considered the cream of Indian women’s domestic hockey.

The first day of the league saw some thrilling matches, with the Hockey Association of Odisha dominating Hockey Haryana 4-1, Hockey Maharashtra defeating Manipur Hockey 5-1, Hockey Madhya Pradesh beating Hockey Bengal 1-0, and Hockey Jharkhand securing a 3-0 win over Hockey Mizoram.

Government officials from Jharkhand, as well as Hockey India officials, including High-Performance Director Herman Kruis and Senior Women Chief Coach Harendra Singh, were in attendance to witness the exciting opening day of the league.

With such high-level competition and talent on display, the National Women’s Hockey League is set to be a game-changer for Indian women’s domestic hockey, providing a platform for players to hone their skills and potentially become future stars for the national team. Fans can expect more thrilling matches and fierce competition as the league progresses.