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Hans India
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Hans India
Young goalkeeper Samiksha Saxena aspires to soar under veteran Savita and coach Harendra Singh's guidance
New Delhi: Young goalkeeper Samiksha Saxena is dreaming big, hoping to cement a permanent spot in the Indian senior women's hockey team and win titles and medals. She is basing her dreams on the guidance provided by veteran goalkeeper and former India captain Savita Punia and coach Harendra Singh. Samiksha is currently part of the 40-member core probables group that has gathered for the ongoing Senior Women's National Coaching Camp at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) Centre in Bengaluru, preparing for the upcoming Women's Asia Cup 2025. The 22-year-old earned her call-up to the camp after strong performances in the Senior Women's National Championships for Assam earlier this year. She is now focused on taking the next big step in her career. Talking about her experience in the national camp so far, she said, 'It's going very well. The environment and the coaches' behaviour are excellent, and I have improved a lot in a short time. I have never experienced anything like this before.' 'I used to watch the senior players on TV and get inspired by them, but now training with them has been a wonderful experience. Currently, I am working on my movements and reflexes. I am also training to be more decisive in my goal, as I carry a huge responsibility for my team,' she added. Samiksha now has the opportunity to train under veteran Indian goalkeeper Savita, who has been a major inspiration for her over the years. Speaking about her interactions with Savita, Samiksha said, 'I am very comfortable with her. If I have a question or a doubt, I go to her, and even when she notices something off during practice, she corrects me and teaches me every little thing.' This is also the first time Samiksha is working under the Indian women's team's chief coach, Harendra Singh. 'He (Harendra Singh) is very fun to work with and explains everything very well. He repeats his instructions in both English and Hindi to ensure we understand clearly. I am excited to continue developing my game under his guidance,' she said. Samiksha hails from Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, and grew up with her grandmother, parents, two sisters, and a younger brother. Her father is a social worker, while her mother used to work at an Anganwadi (rural child-care centre). She began playing hockey on local grounds at the grassroots level while still in school, initially as a field player. At 19, she was selected for the SAI Centre in Bhopal, where her coach advised her to switch to goalkeeping. 'He told me I had good height and reflexes and would do well as a goalkeeper, so I made the switch,' Samiksha explained. She first represented SAI in the Junior Academy Nationals, then played in the Khelo India University Games 2023–24 for ITM University, Gwalior, where she completed her degree in Physical Education. Samiksha has played in two Senior Women National Championships — in 2024 for the Hockey Association of Bihar and this year for Assam Hockey. Her strong performances in Division B helped her earn a spot in the national camp. Samiksha was at the SAI Centre in Bhopal when she received the news of her selection. 'When I found out, I called my mother first, and she started crying. Initially, my parents wanted me to focus more on studies than on hockey, but as I grew older, they began supporting me wholeheartedly and are now very proud of my achievements.' Speaking about her future goals, Samiksha said, 'It's been a long and challenging journey so far, but my dream is to go even further — to represent India on the international stage. I want to make my country proud and bring home medals for the nation,' she concluded.
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Sport
- Indian Express
What National Sports Policy can do for India's athletes
As someone who has spent decades in the field of sports medicine, closely observing the physical and psychological toll elite sport takes on athletes, I am both encouraged and excited by the emphasis placed on sports science and technology in the upcoming National Sports Policy 2025. This is not just a policy — it's a paradigm shift. For the first time in our nation's sporting journey, we are embedding science, technology, and evidence-based medicine at the heart of athlete development. From injury prevention and biomechanics to mental conditioning and recovery, the policy envisions a system where performance is supported, not just expected. India has made great strides in global sports. But to compete consistently at the highest level, performance needs to be sustained by systems that are smart, adaptable, and medically sound. The National Sports Policy 2025 acknowledges this and integrates sports science, sports medicine, and cutting-edge technology as foundational pillars for the next decade of Indian sports. It gives me immense satisfaction as a medical practitioner to note that the new policy focuses on: Injury surveillance, prevention, and early intervention, which remain essential for athlete longevity; biomechanics and performance analytics to refine training and technique; nutrition and recovery science — areas where marginal gains often make the difference between podium finishes and missed opportunities; and mental health and cognitive conditioning, which, in today's high-pressure environment, are non-negotiable. The policy outlines that facilities for sports science and sports medicine will be established and upgraded at major training centres across the country. The Sports Authority of India (SAI) has already begun enhancing sports science facilities and installing world-class recovery equipment at its regional centres and National Centres of Excellence, in partnership with the National Centre for Sports Science & Research. The SAI regional centre in Bengaluru, where our Olympic medal prospects under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) train, has got one of the best sports science facilities in the entire country. Another Return to Sports division was recently established at the Indira Gandhi Stadium in New Delhi. These are multi-disciplinary hubs where coaches, physiotherapists, psychologists, orthopaedic surgeons and data scientists work together to support athletes. In a significant step, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports had constituted a 10-member medical panel in association with the Indian Olympic Association last year, including myself, to be stationed in Paris during the Olympic Games. For the first time, India had a dedicated medical team on-ground to manage injuries, monitor recovery, and make real-time decisions for our athletes' health and safety. The policy also rightly champions technology as a tool for governance and performance monitoring. Platforms will be upgraded and restructured to improve the transparency and efficiency of various schemes. From AI-driven performance analysis to real-time dashboards, monitoring training loads and recovery metrics, technology will be harnessed not just to track, but to intervene early, predict outcomes, and course-correct when necessary. What excites me even more is that we are not stopping at application — we are fostering sports innovation by leveraging technology for data-driven monitoring and implementation of sports programmes. With the proposed sports innovation task force and research grants, educational and research institutions will be encouraged to explore interdisciplinary solutions, creating a pipeline of ideas, tools, and technologies that are India-specific. In a nutshell, the National Sports Policy 2025 is not just forward-thinking — it is vital. By embedding sports science and technology into the fabric of our sporting ecosystem, we are moving toward certainty — from passion alone to passion empowered by precision. As someone who has treated hundreds of India's top athletes, I know that talent and training are never enough. Support, science, and systems are what create champions. With this policy, we are finally building those systems. The writer is a sports orthopaedic surgeon. He was head of a medical panel constituted by the sports ministry to support Indian athletes at the Paris 2024 Olympics
NDTV
4 days ago
- Health
- NDTV
Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya Encourages Youth To Take Up Cycling For Fit And Drug-Free India During Sundays On Cycle
The 32nd edition of the Fit India Sundays on Cycle culminated in a grand celebration of fitness and a strong message against substance abuse with Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports Mansukh Mandaviya riding a cycle along with a massive crowd of over 3000 individuals here at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) campus in Varanasi, according to a release from SAI media. Mansukh Mandaviya emphasised the importance of keeping the nation's youth away from drugs and encouraged the large crowd gathered at the BHU campus to adopt an active lifestyle saying, "A healthy body can only lead to a healthy mind and a healthy mind can only catalyse the nation towards Viksit Bharat," as quoted from a release by SAI media. The special edition of nationwide cycling initiative was organised in partnership with several educational institutions including Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Kendriya Vidayalaya Sangathan, Council for the Indian School Certificate Examination (CISCE), DAV College Management Committee, Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti and Bal Bharati Public School. "Sundays on Cycle has transformed into a jan andolan (mass movement). Today, all the educational institutions took part in the Nasha-Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat campaign at more than 6000 locations across the sub-continent. We can only fulfil our Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji's vision of a Viksit Bharat by eradicating addiction amongst youth. The Government's objective through this initiative is that the country's youth remain fit and healthy and become vital cogs in the nation's progress," Mandaviya said. Mandaviya was joined by Hon'ble Union Minister of State of Youth Affairs and Sports Smt. Raksha Nikhil Khadse, Hon'ble Sports Minister of Uttar Pradesh Girish Chandra Yadav,l, Hon'ble MLA from Varanasi North Ravindra Jaiswal, Hon'ble MLA from Pindra Varanasi Sh. Awdesh Singh, Hon'ble MLA from Varanasi Cantt Saurav Srivastava, Hon'ble MLC Dharmendra Singh, Hon'ble MLC Hansraj, Divisional Commissioner of Varanasi S. Rajalingam and Regional Director of SAI Netaji Subhash Regional Centre, Lucknow Atma Prakash, among others. The cyclists rode through the lush green and serene environment inside the Banaras Hindu University campus traversing through iconic locations like Sir Sunderlal Hospital, Malviya Bhawan, Birla Hostel, IIT Chauraha, Vishwanath Temple and then returning to the starting point Amphitheatre Ground. A sizeable crowd also took part in yoga, meditation and Zumba sessions making the event a grand celebration of fitness. "Under the guidance of our Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, the Fit India Sundays on Cycle is organised across the length and breadth of the country. We are getting some terrific response from the citizens for this initiative. Today, we organised the cycling campaign at BHU campus and I am very happy to say that a massive crowd cycled with us here. The youth understands the disadvantages of indulging in drugs. Somewhere we needed to make a start and the message is clear that only a healthy youth can lead to a prosperous nation," Raksha Khadse told reporters later. The Delhi edition of Fit India Sundays on Cycle saw an enthusiastic turnout this week, with over 1000 school students from more than 300 schools across the National Capital Region joining the national cycling drive. India international cyclists Esow Alben, Mayuri Lute and Sushikala Agashe were present to motivate the young participants. "As a cyclist, it makes me really happy. I went to my hometown in Andaman recently for my holidays and saw that the Fit India Sundays on Cycle is active there too. People are taking these events to higher levels and I'm happy to see more and more Indians getting involved in fitness," said Esow, bronze medalist at 2022 Asian Cycling Championships. Conducted in collaboration with Raahgiri Foundation, the event also included yoga, Zumba, rope skipping, badminton, as well as school games zone featuring fun activities like snake & ladder, carrom, chess, mini golf, and ludo. The 'Fit India Sundays on Cycle' is organised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, in collaboration with the Cycling Federation of India (CFI), Rope Skipping team led by Shikha Gupta, Raahgiri Foundation, My Bikes and MY Bharat. The cycling drive is organised simultaneously in capitals of all States and Union Territories besides SAI Regional Centres, National Centres of Excellence (NCOEs), SAI Training Centres (STCs), Khelo India State Centres of Excellence (KISCEs) and Khelo India centres (KICs) across various age groups.
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
Hockey India names 40-member core group for senior women's national camp
Hockey India on Saturday (July 19, 2025) announced a 40-member core probable group for the upcoming senior women's national coaching camp, which will be held at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) Centre in Bengaluru from July 21 to August 29. The camp holds significance as the Indian women's hockey team gears up for the women's Asia Cup, set to begin on September 5 in Hangzhou, China. The tournament will serve as a direct qualification pathway for the 2026 FIH Women's World Cup, with only the champion earning a guaranteed spot. All players from the previous camp have been retained, reflecting a continued emphasis on stability and long-term development under the current coaching setup. "This camp comes at a very critical juncture for us. The Asia Cup is not just a prestigious continental tournament, but also a direct route to the 2026 World Cup. We are treating this camp with utmost intensity and focus to ensure we arrive in Hangzhou as a mentally and physically prepared unit," Indian women's hockey team chief coach Harendra Singh said in a release. "We have retained the core from the last camp to maintain consistency in our approach, while also allowing the younger players more time to integrate into the senior structure. After a tough Pro League campaign in Europe, where we couldn't produce the results we wanted, this camp also gives us a chance to reset, refocus, and bounce back stronger. Moreover, we have identified critical angles in penalty corner defence, which was a key area of concern during the Pro League." The goalkeeping unit features experienced stalwarts Savita, Bichu Devi Kharibam, Bansari Solanki, and Madhuri Kindo, along with rising talent Samiksha Saxena from Assam Hockey, who impressed selectors with her performances at the National Championships earlier this year. The defence line-up comprises seasoned names such as Nikki Pradhan, Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam, Udita, and Mahima Chaudhary, bolstered by emerging players like Ishika Chaudhary, Jyoti Chhatri, Anjna Dungdung, Akshata Abaso Dhekale, and Suman Devi Thoudam. In midfield, the group continues to rely on the experience of Neha, Salima Tete, Vaishnavi Vitthal Phalke, Manisha Chauhan, and Sharmila Devi, while also nurturing young talents like Sujata Kujur, Mahima Tete, Albela Rani Toppo, and Pooja Yadav. The forward line features a strong mix of agility and finishing ability, with players like Navneet Kaur, Deepika Soreng, Sangita Kumari, Rutuja Dadaso Pisal, Mumtaz Khan, Beauty Dungdung, Annu, Hritika Singh, Dipimonika Toppo, Chandana Jagadish, and Kajal Sadashiv Atpadkar all named in the squad. Notably, the Indian team will look to build on past successes in Asia and redeem themselves after a challenging outing in the recently concluded FIH Pro League, where they struggled to find form during the European leg. Indian women's hockey team new 40-member senior core group: Goalkeepers: Savita, Bichu Devi Kharibam, Bansari Solanki, Madhuri Kindo, Samiksha Saxena. Defenders: Mahima Chaudhary, Nikki Pradhan, Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam, Udita, Ishika Chaudhary, Jyoti Chhatri, Jyoti, Akshata Abaso Dhekale, Anjna Dungdung, Suman Devi Thoudam. Midfielders: Sujata Kujur, Vaishnavi Vitthal Phalke, Neha, Salima Tete, Manisha Chauhan, Ajmina Kujur, Sunelita Toppo, Lalremsiami, Sharmila Devi, Baljeet Kaur, Mahima Tete, Albela Rani Toppo, Pooja Yadav. Forwards: Dipimonika Toppo, Hritika Singh, Deepika Soreng, Navneet Kaur, Sangita Kumari, Deepika, Rutaja Dadaso Pisal, Beauty Dungdung, Mumtaz Khan, Annu, Chandana Jagadish, Kajal Sadashiv Atpadkar.
Hans India
5 days ago
- Sport
- Hans India
Hockey India names 40-member group for Senior Women's National Camp ahead of Asia Cup
Bengaluru: Hockey India on Saturday announced a 40-member core probables group for the upcoming Senior Women's National Coaching Camp, scheduled to be held at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) Centre in Bengaluru from July 21 to August 29. The camp holds significant importance as the Indian women's team gears up for the Women's Asia Cup 2025, set to begin on September 5 in Hangzhou, China. The tournament will serve as a direct qualification pathway for the 2026 FIH Women's World Cup, with only the champion earning a guaranteed spot. All players from the previous camp have been retained, reflecting a continued emphasis on stability and long-term development under the current coaching setup. The goalkeeping unit features experienced stalwarts Savita, Bichu Devi Kharibam, Bansari Solanki and Madhuri Kindo, along with rising talent Samiksha Saxena from Assam Hockey, who impressed selectors with her performances at the National Championships earlier this year. The defence line-up comprises seasoned names such as Nikki Pradhan, Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam, Udita and Mahima Chaudhary, bolstered by emerging players like Ishika Chaudhary, Jyoti Chhatri, Anjna Dungdung, Akshata Abaso Dhekale and Suman Devi Thoudam. In midfield, the group continues to rely on the experience of Neha, Salima Tete, Vaishnavi Vitthal Phalke, Manisha Chauhan and Sharmila Devi while also nurturing young talents like Sujata Kujur, Mahima Tete, Albela Rani Toppo and Pooja Yadav. The forward line features a strong mix of agility and finishing ability, with players like Navneet Kaur, Deepika Soreng, Sangita Kumari, Rutuja Dadaso Pisal, Mumtaz Khan, Beauty Dungdung, Annu, Hritika Singh, Dipimonika Toppo, Chandana Jagadish and Kajal Sadashiv Atpadkar all named in the squad. Notably, the Indian team will look to build on past successes in Asia and redeem themselves after a challenging outing in the recently concluded FIH Pro League, where they struggled to find form during the European leg. Speaking on the camp, Indian women's team chief coach Harendra Singh said, 'This camp comes at a very critical juncture for us. The Asia Cup is not just a prestigious continental tournament, but also a direct route to the 2026 World Cup. We are treating this camp with utmost intensity and focus to ensure we arrive in Hangzhou as a mentally and physically prepared unit.' 'We have retained the core from the last camp to maintain consistency in our approach, while also allowing the younger players more time to integrate into the senior structure. After a tough Pro League campaign in Europe, where we couldn't produce the results we wanted, this camp also gives us a chance to reset, refocus, and bounce back stronger. Moreover, we have identified critical angles in penalty corner defence, which was a key area of concern during the Pro League. 'The energy within the group is positive. The players know what's at stake, and we'll be using every session to sharpen our structure, decision-making under pressure, and overall cohesion,' he concluded. Indian women's team 40-member senior core group: Goalkeepers: Savita, Bichu Devi Kharibam, Bansari Solanki, Madhuri Kindo, Samiksha Saxena. Defenders: Mahima Chaudhary, Nikki Pradhan, Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam, Udita, Ishika Chaudhary, Jyoti Chhatri, Jyoti, Akshata Abaso Dhekale, Anjna Dungdung, Suman Devi Thoudam. Midfielders: Sujata Kujur, Vaishnavi Vitthal Phalke, Neha, Salima Tete, Manisha Chauhan, Ajmina Kujur, Sunelita Toppo, Lalremsiami, Sharmila Devi, Baljeet Kaur, Mahima Tete, Albela Rani Toppo, Pooja Yadav. Forwards: Dipimonika Toppo, Hritika Singh, Deepika Soreng, Navneet Kaur, Sangita Kumari, Deepika, Rutaja Dadaso Pisal, Beauty Dungdung, Mumtaz Khan, Annu, Chandana Jagadish, Kajal Sadashiv Atpadkar.
