--- title: "Jharkhand’s hockey heartland produces India’s stars in Simdega, Khunti and Gumla; 34 medals in national women's championships" sdDatePublished: "2026-08-19T13:13:00Z" source: "https://www.olympics.com/en/news/jharkhand-hockey-heartland-india-simdega-khunti-grassroots-players" topics: - name: "sport" identifier: "medtop:15000000" - name: "field hockey" identifier: "medtop:20000933" - name: "sport organisation" identifier: "medtop:20001125" - name: "sport achievement" identifier: "medtop:20001301" - name: "sport event" identifier: "medtop:20001108" - name: "education" identifier: "medtop:05000000" locations: - "North Holland" - "Jharkhand" - "Ranchi" - "Belgium" - "Netherlands" - "India" --- Jharkhand’s hockey heartland produces India’s stars in Simdega, Khunti and Gumla; 34 medals in national women's championships Jharkhand hockey: How Simdega, Khunti and Gumla continue to produce India’s stars Jharkhand’s hockey heartland: Where India’s next generation is taking shape From village fields in Simdega, Khunti and Gumla to the national team, a century-old hockey culture continues to produce players for India. As the Indian women’s hockey team competes at the FIH World Cup 2026 in the Netherlands and Belgium, hundreds of kilometres away, another part of the country continues the work that has helped sustain the game for generations. Across Simdega, Khunti and Gumla in Jharkhand , hockey is not simply an organised sport. Children grow up playing it in villages and fields, often long before they enter a formal coaching programme. “Every child in every home across three districts of Jharkhand - Khunti, Simdega and Gumla - plays hockey,” veteran coach Jagan Topno told SAI Media. “Early in the morning and in the evening, you will find village kids playing hockey in the fields all across Jharkhand. Hockey is an important part of our culture.” That culture has made Jharkhand one of Indian hockey ’s most enduring production lines. Current India women’s captain Salima Tete is part of a lineage stretching back almost a century. Jaipal Singh Munda captained India to Olympic gold at Amsterdam 1928 , while Michael Kindo, Sylvanus Dung Dung, Manohar Topno, Ajit Lakra, Bimal Lakra, Birendra Lakra, Asunta Lakra and Sumrai Tete are among the many players from the region who followed. The names have changed across generations. The relationship with hockey has not. At the centre of that tradition is Simdega , widely regarded as one of the country's great hockey nurseries. For decades, players emerged from the district despite relatively modest facilities. Today, the pathway from village hockey to organised competition is more structured. Simdega has residential programmes for young boys and girls, a Centre of Excellence and non-residential coaching centres in areas including Rengari, Jaldega and Kurdeg. Neighbouring Khunti has also developed into an important hub, with residential facilities and coaching centres across Govindpur, Torta, Murhu, Khunti and Maranhada. The network stretches further into Gumla, Kamdara, Konbir, Ranchi, Latehar, Hulhundu, Hazaribagh and East Singhbhum, giving young players across Jharkhand multiple entry points into organised hockey. More than 5,000 boys and girls are currently training through residential and non-residential programmes across the state. The Tata group has also played a role in widening the grassroots network by setting up several rural training centres, some of which offer boarding facilities for young talent. For players who show promise, the pathway can eventually lead to higher-level training centres in Ranchi and Hazaribagh. “SAI conducts selection trials for players aged 10-14 years at several locations across Jharkhand,” Topno said. “Those selected are admitted to SAI centres at Ranchi and Hazaribagh and provided top quality training.” For children coming from remote villages, that progression can mean access not only to specialist coaching but also strength and conditioning, physiotherapy, nutrition, sports science and regular competition. From Jharkhand’s fields to the India jersey The clearest measure of the system, however, is the players it continues to produce. Salima Tete, Nikki Pradhan, Sweety Dung Dung and Deepika Soreng are among the Jharkhand players to have reached the senior Indian women’s setup. Another generation is already coming through. Parvati Topno, Binima Dhan, Sugna Sanga, Nilam Topno, Shruti Kumari and Khilli Kumari have featured in the junior women’s programme, while Ashis Tanipurty has emerged on the men’s side. The depth is also reflected at the domestic level. Over the past 16 years, Jharkhand have collected 34 medals in women’s competitions at the national championships - 10 gold, 11 silver and 13 bronze. Those numbers point to something bigger than the occasional emergence of an exceptional player. Jharkhand has built a pipeline capable of replenishing itself. The revamped Khelo India Scheme for 2026-31 could further strengthen Jharkhand’s hockey pipeline, with greater emphasis on talent identification, infrastructure and sports technology, alongside increased state involvement in developing and retaining athletes from the grassroots to elite level. For Jharkhand, the opportunity is to strengthen a system whose most important ingredient already exists: a culture that keeps bringing children to hockey. India’s future in international hockey will ultimately depend on what happens long before players reach national camps or major tournaments. In Jharkhand, much of that process begins simply - with a stick, a ball and a field. Every morning and evening, children continue to play across Simdega, Khunti, Gumla and other parts of the state. Only a fraction will reach elite hockey. Fewer still will wear an India jersey. But from Jaipal Singh Munda to Salima Tete, Jharkhand has repeatedly shown that its next international player may already be somewhere on those fields, stick in hand. Picture by 2025 Getty Images FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 - all results