Hardik Singh and Salima Tete were named the Players of the Year for 2023 in the men’s and women’s categories, respectively, at the sixth annual Hockey India Awards.
During the event, Hockey India announced the revival of the Hockey India League (HIL), which will return in January 2025 after a hiatus since 2017. The revived league will feature eight men’s teams and six women’s teams, with auctions likely to be held after the Paris Olympics.
Huge Prize Pool
The awards ceremony saw teams and individuals felicitated for their achievements in the past year, with a total prize pool of ₹7.56 crores.
Honoring Past Achievements
Interestingly, the 2016 Junior World Cup winning men’s team was also honored at the event, eight years after their triumph.
Notable Awards and Winners
- Hardik Singh, who was also the FIH Player of the Year, received the Balbir Singh Sr. Trophy and a cash prize of ₹25 lakhs.
- The Indian teams that won the Junior Asia Cups and the Asian Champions Trophy (both men’s and women’s) were rewarded.
- The men’s Asian Games winning side was also felicitated.
Other Award Winners:
- P.R. Sreejesh (Goalkeeper of the Year) – ₹5 lakhs
- Harmanpreet Singh (Defender of the Year) – ₹5 lakhs
- Hardik Singh (Midfielder of the Year) – ₹5 lakhs
- Abhishek (Forward of the Year) – ₹5 lakhs
- Deepika Soreng (Women’s U-21 Player of the Year) – ₹10 lakhs
- Araijeet Singh Hundal (Men’s U-21 Player of the Year) – ₹10 lakhs
- Salima Tete (Player of the Year, Women) – ₹25 lakhs
- Ashok Kumar (Major Dhyan Chand Lifetime Achievement Award) – ₹30 lakhs
The Hockey India Awards celebrated the outstanding performances of Indian hockey players and teams, while also recognizing the sport’s rich history and legacy.
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