New Delhi, 20 March (H.S.): Hockey India has welcomed Kazakhstan's senior men's hockey team, currently undergoing a high-performance training camp at the SAI Northern Regional Centre in Sonipat, Haryana from March 10 to 21 as part of preparations for the 2026 Asian Games Qualifiers.
The Ministry noted Friday that one of India's premier hockey training hubs offers world-class synthetic turf, advanced facilities and competitive environment ideal for elevating Kazakhstan's readiness.
Kazakhstan coach Olga Urmanova expressed delight at the warm reception, praising India's high hockey standards which prompted their visit—marking a second trip after competing at the Hero Asia Cup 2025 in Rajgir, Bihar. She highlighted valuable practice matches against local teams providing essential competition, fulfilling their training blueprint perfectly, and thanked Hockey India for top-notch support ahead of a tough qualifier group featuring Oman, Indonesia, Thailand and Hong Kong.
Ranked 55th globally, Kazakhstan has shown marked progress, impressing at the 2025 AHF Cup in Jakarta and gaining exposure against top Asian sides like India, Japan and China at Rajgir.Hockey India president Dr Dilip Tirkey voiced pleasure at hosting, stating such camps advance global hockey growth and international ties, reaffirming India's leadership in promoting the sport through world-class facilities.
General Secretary Bhola Nath Singh added it's gratifying to see teams like Kazakhstan choosing India for elite training, with superior infrastructure poised to aid their qualifier campaign while underscoring India's rising global hockey hub status.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
