 | |
| Association name | Ice Hockey Association of India |
|---|---|
| IIHF Code | IND |
| IIHF membership | April 27, 1989 |
| President | Dr. Surinder Mohan Bali |
The Ice Hockey Association of India (IHAI) is the governing body of ice hockey in India. It is responsible for overseeing ice hockey in India.[1] It became a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) on April 27, 1989. The current president of the Association is Dr. Surinder Mohan Bali.[2]
In addition to working with other sport organisations, such as the Indian Olympic Association and the Sports Authority of India, to develop hockey infrastructure, the IHAI is governing all national sections and Indian Ice Hockey Championship.[3] In April 2015, the players started a crowdfunding campaign on BitGiving to take part in an international tournament. The hashtag #SupportIceHockey trended nationwide. In response to the campaign the team also received its first corporate sponsorship deal, with the Mahindra Group. The group's head Anand Mahindra tweeted that he had "decided to support these passionate athletes".[citation needed]
Many of the members of the Indian national team, coordinated by the IHAI, are recruited from clubs associated with military units and regiments.[4] The IHAI has created programs to introduce the sport to a wider audience, for example through the Learn to Play that has been implemented in Ladakh, Kargil, Delhi, and Mumbai. As an alternative for players who do not have access to outdoor ice rinks, the association began holding programs in the in-line hockey, building on existing in-line hockey being played in Gujarat and Mumbai.[5]
In 2015, the Ice Hockey Association of India sent the men's national team to Canada to play a game against the ECHL's Brampton Beast.[6] On the team's trip through Canada in October 2015 the team will also play the CWHL's Calgary Inferno, according to Adam Sherlip, the only coach Team India has ever had.[7]
