Bhopal, a city in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, was once known for producing world-class hockey players. However, in the last 23 years, the city has not produced any Olympian hockey player, resulting in a decline in its significance in the sport.
Between the 1900s and 2000, Bhopal produced eight Olympians and over 20 international hockey players. Despite having top-rated infrastructure, including world-class turf and a state Men’s and Women’s Hockey Academy, the city has witnessed a decrease in interest in the sport.
Currently, the state Men’s Hockey Academy has only 12 athletes out of the available 74 seats, of which 49 are already filled. Similarly, the Women’s Hockey Academy in Gwalior has only two athletes from Bhopal.
Jalaluddin Rizvi, a veteran hockey Olympian, attributes the decline to the disappearance of the club culture and a lack of interest in hockey among the youth. He believes people nowadays play sports for money, and not everyone gets paid for playing hockey, so athletes opt for other sports.
Rizvi expressed his sadness about the poor upkeep and infrastructure of Aish Bagh Stadium, which was once a matter of pride for Bhopal residents. The stadium has given the city several Olympians, but the lack of maintenance has led to the decline of interest in hockey.
Sameer Dad, the last hockey Olympian from Bhopal, represented India at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. It took 20 years for another player from Madhya Pradesh, Vivek Sagar Prasad from Itarsi, to break the dry spell and be part of the Indian team that won a bronze medal in Tokyo Olympics 2020.
Bhopal’s rich hockey legacy has been overshadowed by the lack of development and maintenance of hockey infrastructure and the absence of a club culture. The city needs to take necessary steps to restore its love for hockey and produce world-class players.
