Hockey India welcomes Hockey Village India on board as the new Academy Member

New Delhi, September 19, 2014: Adding yet another branch to its expanding family, Hockey India today announced its new Academy Member, Hockey Village India with an aim to reach out to those underprivileged children who are keen to make a career in sports an provide a platform to showcase their talent.  

Hockey Village India works towards the better future for underprivileged children in rural India in terms of Sports and Education. In 2010, a former German hockey player Andrea Thumshirn started the academy in Garh Himmat Singh, District Dausa in Rajasthan with the support of her German hockey friends and local ruling families. Thereafter, she managed to spread awareness of hockey in the surrounding areas and started giving training to 50 boys and girls who later on participated in various U-14 and U-16 domestic tournaments.

With the intention to combine sports and education, Hockey Village India opened their own school in 2013 to provide proper education and sporting facilities to the identified budding players. Some German hockey players are now also volunteering to give training to young kids in Hockey Village India. Spreading itself to different parts of the country, Hockey Village India adopted the Bhusawal Railway Boys (Maharashtra) and two more schools in South Goa in January this year; Hockey Village India also plans to open another wing in Rohtak (Haryana).

Speaking on the newly inducted Hockey Village India, Hockey India Secretary General Dr. Narinder Batra said, “Hockey India has always strived to reach out to those who inspite of having the talent cannot reach the big platform. Hockey India has always worked towards reaching out and identifying this talent. With Hockey Village India coming on board our endeavour towards this initiative will strengthen and we are extremely delighted to have them as an Academy Member”

Andrea Thumshirn is the Director and founder of the Hockey Village India.

Hockey India currently has 26 Permanent Members, 23 Associate Members, 1 Member through State Olympic Associations, 8 Academy Members and 1 Hoc-Key Member.

HI Press release