Hockey India Annual Awards 2024: Savita and Harmanpreet Named Players of the Year
Ranvir Singh
New Delhi: The 7th Hockey India Annual Awards 2024 were held in New Delhi on March 15, honoring Indian hockey stars and legends. This year’s ceremony was special as it marked both the 100th anniversary of Indian hockey and the golden jubilee of India’s 1975 World Cup victory. In recognition of this historic achievement, the 1975 World Cup-winning team was awarded the Hockey India Major Dhyan Chand Lifetime Achievement Award, with each member receiving a cash prize of ₹50 lakh.
The grand event witnessed the presence of renowned figures from the hockey world, with a record prize pool of ₹12 crore, the highest ever in the history of the awards.
Savita and Harmanpreet Named Players of the Year
At the ceremony, Indian women’s hockey team’s star goalkeeper Savita and men’s team captain Harmanpreet Singh were honored with the Hockey India Balbir Singh Senior Award for Player of the Year 2024. Savita won in the women’s category, while Harmanpreet received the honor in the men’s category. Both players were awarded ₹25 lakh and a trophy.
Expressing her joy, Savita said, “This is a moment of great pride for me. This award would not have been possible without the support of my teammates, coaches, family, and hockey lovers. It will motivate me to work even harder.”
Meanwhile, Harmanpreet Singh stated, “This award is not just for me but for the entire team. I hope both our men’s and women’s teams continue to play without pressure and take Indian hockey to new heights.”
Paris Olympics 2024 Bronze Medalists Honored
The Indian men’s hockey team, which secured a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics 2024, was also honored at the event. Each player received ₹15 lakh, reserve players received ₹5 lakh, and support staff was awarded ₹7.5 lakh.
States Recognized for Outstanding Hockey Performance
Eight states that excelled in the Hockey India National Championships 2024 were honored:
Hockey Haryana, Hockey Jharkhand, Hockey Odisha, Hockey Madhya Pradesh, Hockey Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh Hockey, and Hockey Punjab received ₹10 lakh each.
Tamil Nadu Hockey Unit was awarded the “Best Member Unit” Award for its grassroots development efforts, particularly through the Tamil Nadu School Hockey League.
Individual Achievements Recognized
Harmanpreet Singh received ₹10 lakh for winning the FIH Men’s Player of the Year 2024.
PR Sreejesh won ₹5 lakh for being named FIH Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year 2024.
Deepika received ₹2 lakh for being the Best Player and Top Scorer in both the Asian Champions Trophy 2024 and the Junior Women’s Asia Cup 2024.
Araijeet Singh Hundal was awarded ₹1 lakh for being named Player of the Tournament in the Junior Men’s Asia Cup 2024.
Milestone Awards 2024
Bobby Singh Dhami, Rituja Dadaso Pisal, and Sakshi Rana received ₹1 lakh each for scoring a goal in their debut match.
Gurmanpreet Singh and Shamsher Singh received ₹1 lakh each for completing 100 international matches.
Vivek Sagar Prasad and Sumit were awarded ₹1.5 lakh each for reaching 150 international matches.
Amit Rohidas received ₹2 lakh for completing 200 international matches, while Sushila Chanu was awarded ₹2.5 lakh for reaching 250 international matches.
Other Major Awards and Winners
Goalkeeper of the Year: Savita (₹5 lakh)
Defender of the Year: Amit Rohidas (₹5 lakh)
Midfielder of the Year: Hardik Singh (₹5 lakh)
Forward of the Year: Abhishek (₹5 lakh)
Emerging U-21 Women’s Player: Deepika (₹10 lakh)
Emerging U-21 Men’s Player: Araijeet Singh Hundal (₹10 lakh)
Special Honor for 1975 World Cup Winners
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of India’s 1975 Hockey World Cup victory, the historic team was presented with the Major Dhyan Chand Lifetime Achievement Award. Each member of the team was awarded ₹50 lakh.
Hockey legends like Ashok Kumar, BP Govinda, Ajit Pal Singh, Aslam Sher Khan, and others were present at the event, making it a truly memorable occasion for Indian hockey.
