New Delhi, August 29(HS): On the occasion of National Sports Day, celebrated on the birth anniversary of hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand, Hockey India has unveiled a series of visionary administrative reforms aimed at transforming Indian hockey. The day, marked this year amid the Men’s Hockey Asia Cup 2025 in Rajgir, Bihar, witnessed the launch of athlete-centric e-governance initiatives designed to bring enhanced transparency, accessibility, and professionalism at every level of the sport.
Key among the reforms is the introduction of digital player identification cards, enabling seamless registration and verification through the Hockey India Member Units Portal, reducing paperwork, and streamlining player access. Additionally, Hockey India has fully integrated DigiLocker to facilitate players’ easy access to all national championship certificates from the past five years, aiding college admissions, job applications, and other verification needs.
The launch of an advanced Athlete Management System incorporates performance tracking, tournament data, training schedules, and injury recovery monitoring. Wearable technology is already being used by senior core players to assess fitness and recovery levels, underscoring the commitment to modern sports science.
Hockey India President Dr. Dilip Tirkey highlighted the operational benefits: “Challenges around player movement monitoring during national championships have been addressed through digital ID and DigiLocker integration, reinforcing our transparency and athlete-first policies.” In a significant welfare measure, unemployed national players will receive financial assistance of INR 2 lakhs to provide economic security.
The organization also welcomed the recent enactment of the National Sports Governance Act 2025, seen as a historic reform that ensures transparency, fairness in elections, gender equality, athlete representation, and robust anti-doping frameworks in sports administration.
The day’s commemorations included a tribute to Major Dhyan Chand by Hockey India dignitaries and Asian Hockey Federation officials ahead of the Asia Cup opener. Throughout the country, special programs and grassroots hockey initiatives engaged around 500 districts, promoting the spirit and legacy of the “Wizard of Hockey” alongside progressive steps to elevate Indian hockey into a modern sporting era
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
