With 412 caps over a 15-year international career, Dilip Tirkey has the most international appearances for India.
Dilip Tirkey, a former Olympian and captain of India’s hockey team, was chosen as Hockey India’s president on Friday. After two other candidates withdrew their bids for the top position, Tirkey was chosen without a challenge.
It is important to note that Dilip Tirkey, who has 412 caps across a 15-year international career, owns the Indian record for most appearances abroad.
Hailing the officials and FIH for conducting smooth elections, Tirkey tweeted, “ I will ensure that Indian hockey reaches new heights.”
On September 18, Tirkey submitted his application for the position of Hockey India’s president. Along with Tirkey, the leaders of Hockey Jharkhand’s Bhola Nath Singh and Uttar Pradesh’s Rakesh Katyal withdrew their nominations.
In its letter from Lausanne on Friday, the FIH congratulated Tirkey on being chosen as the head of Hockey India and said, “First and foremost, the FIH would like to thank the members of the Committee of Administrators for adhering to and seeing to it that the election process of Hockey India has been conducted smoothly. Through media reporting from India and the Hockey India website, the FIH has been keeping tabs on the election process.
President Dilip Tirkey of the Hockey Association of Odisha; Vice-Presidents Asima Ali of Hockey Jammu & Kashmir; S.V.S. Subramanya of Hockey Karnataka; Secretary-General Bhola Nath Singh of Hockey Jharkhand; Treasurer Sekar J. Manoharan of the Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu; Joint Secretaries Ms. Arti Singh of Hockey Rajasthan; and Sunil Malik of Hockey Rajasthan are the other office holders (Hockey Haryana).
Arun Kumar Saraswat (Hockey Rajasthan), Asrita Lakra (Hockey Jharkhand), Gurpreet Kaur (Hockey Delhi), V Sunil Kumar (Kerala Hockey), and Tapan Kumar Das are members of the executive board (Assam Hockey).
Prasanta Patnaik