Jaipur: The four-day long 5th edition of the Soft Hockey National Championship, organised under the aegis of the Amateur Soft Hockey Federation of India, concluded on Sunday at the SMS Hockey Stadium, Jaipur amidst great enthusiasm, sportsmanship and a dignified atmosphere.The closing ceremony began with a thrilling Rajasthan versus Maharashtra Senior Boys match, followed by the presentation of prizes and honours to the players, including the winning and runner-up teams.Dr Arun Chaturvedi, Chairman, Finance Commission, Rajasthan, graced the occasion as the chief guest. Sunaina Prakash, Legal Chairman, Indian Olympic Association and National Chairman, Amateur Soft Hockey League of India, was present as the guest of honor.The event was also graced by the presence of Suresh Dewan, Director – Khyaati Tradecom Pvt. Ltd. (Aluminum Die Casting Unit at Sitapura, Jaipur), Director – Shubh Laxmi Cold Storage (Sitapura, Jaipur) and reputed builders and suppliers involved in construction and supply work for Assam Rifles in North-East India.Dr Ashutosh Pant (National President), Dr Aditya Nag (National Vice Chairman, Amateur Soft Hockey League of India and National In charge), GS Rathore (Senior Vice President, Soft Hockey Federation), Shikha Pant (National General Secretary) and Ramesh Singh were present on the stage on behalf of the Federation.In his address, Dr Ashutosh Pant highlighted the Federation’s achievements over the past five years, stating that soft hockey has been successfully organized in nearly 20 states, including the successful organization of a national league and two international tournaments.Talent search programs are being conducted continuously across the country, and free hockey sticks are being distributed to talented children from disadvantaged and underprivileged communities under the “Har Ghar Hockey” campaign. He stated that, as per the target, approximately one lakh hockey sticks will be distributed across India, of which over one thousand have already been distributed.He also noted that teams from more than 12 states participated in this national championship, a testament to the growing national influence of soft hockey. It is noteworthy that Belgian hockey players also observed the soft hockey matches and expressed their desire to introduce soft hockey to Belgium soon.Chief guest Dr Arun Chaturvedi, while welcoming the athletes from across the country to the brave land of Rajasthan, said that such events not only provide a platform for sporting talent but also strengthen national unity and discipline. While distributing the prizes, he extended his heartfelt congratulations to the organizers for a successful event.Sunaina Prakash expressed the possibility of organizing the upcoming Soft Hockey League Championship in Uttar Pradesh and also proposed to organize the World Cup in Dubai in future, which was described as an important initiative for the sports world.At the closing ceremony, Dr Aditya Nag proposed a vote of thanks, highlighting the historical, cultural, and indigenous nature of soft hockey. He said that “Soft hockey is a modern expression of traditional games played with sticks made from tree branches and a ball made from cloth.”He explained that India has a very ancient sports tradition, where games evolved from the creativity of children in villages and neighborhoods despite limited resources. Soft hockey is a safe, scientific, and well-organized modern version of that indigenous sport.He further stated that soft hockey is not just a sport, but a renaissance of the sporting culture of New India. The sport embodies Indian cultural values such as teamwork, discipline, fitness, hand-eye coordination, quick decision-making, and collective spirit. Inspired by traditional stick-ball games prevalent in rural and tribal areas, it adopts the techniques, strategies, and global perspective of modern field hockey, preparing players for high-level competition.Although its spirit is deeply indigenous, soft hockey is conducted in accordance with modern field hockey rules—such as fixed team composition, timed quarters, judging standards, dribbling, passing, tackling, and goal scoring—providing a strong platform for players to thrive.During the function, coaches, referees and other officials from different states were also honoured. National General Secretary Ramesh Singh informed that during the tournament, excellent arrangements were made for the food, accommodation and other necessary facilities for the players, so that all the participants enjoyed the game in a safe and disciplined environment.Thus, the 5th Soft Hockey National Championship concluded successfully with a beautiful confluence of sports, culture, indigenous tradition and modern approach.
