Pics Courtesy: The Hockey India
A 16-member India men’s hockey team and the India women’s hockey team for the 2016 Rio Olympics were announced by Hockey India (HI) on Tuesday. While defender Sushila Chanu is the skipper of the women’s side, PR Sreejesh was named the India captain, ahead of Sardar Singh.
India women’s hockey team sealed qualification for the Olympics after 36 years following a decent display at the EuroHockey Championship in London last August. The India women’s hockey team had previously qualified for the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, where they finished fourth.
The mega quadrennial event is scheduled to begin in Brazil on August 5. A total of 12 teams will be participating in both the gender categories.
Deep Grace Ekka, Namita Toppo, Lilima Minz and Sunita Lakra from Odisha will represent the national team in the Olympics which will be played in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from August 5 to 21.