Chhattisgarh Hockey League: Indian Hockey legend Sardar Singh announced as League Ambassador

Olympians Surender Kumar, Pradeep Mor, SV Sunil, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Shamsher and Chinglensana Singh Kangujam headlined the six franchises in the CHL Team Draw held earlier today in Raipur

One of India’s most decorated field hockey players, Sardar Singh has been announced as the League Ambassador of the inaugural Chhattisgarh Hockey League. India’s first-ever hockey league organised by a State Government, Chhattisgarh Hockey League’s inaugural season will be held from 21st October to 1st November at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Hockey Stadium in Raipur. The six franchises were also unveiled at an event held today - Chakradhar Champions, Nyayadhani Knights, Rajdhani Royals, Mainpat Titans, Sanskardhani Strikers and Bailadila Bulls who were each allotted a 22-member squad and a Head Coach through a Team Draw, according to a press release from CHL.

“Having someone of Sardar Singh’s stature as the League Ambassador for the inaugural season of the Chhattisgarh Hockey League showcases our commitment to providing our young athletes with the right resources and guidance in order to fast-track their development. He is one of India’s most decorated hockey players, and the league will only be better owing to his genius,” expressed Arun Sao, Deputy Chief Minister and Sports Minister, Chhattisgarh. Underlining the importance of forging a long-term partnership between the league and the franchises in order to successfully promote the game at the grassroots level in the entire region, Sports Minister Sao added, “I extend a very warm welcome to the six team owners and sponsors who have decided to support and invest in our sport. Their vision and determination to promote the sport of hockey is a step that is deeply appreciated by all the stakeholders, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for partnering with us in this incredible revival of hockey in Chhattisgarh.”

“I have witnessed the growth of Chhattisgarh sports from close quarters as a former player and now as a coach with Hockey India. The ambition of the Government of Chhattisgarh under the guidance of Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai and Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao is to transform Chhattisgarh into a sporting state. The inception of the Chhattisgarh Hockey League is an initiative that sets the benchmark for everyone to follow, and I’m confident that the hockey players from Chhattisgarh will benefit from this greatly. Becoming CHL’s League Ambassador is not just an honorary position for me but an opportunity to help Chhattisgarh’s talented players develop into potential national and international stars,” said Sardar Singh, League Ambassador, Chhattisgarh Hockey League. The CHL features six franchise teams showcasing a dynamic mix of national heroes, Olympians, local talent, and seasoned players from the Chhattisgarh region. The tournament aims to provide a high-quality platform for homegrown talent and strengthen the domestic hockey structure in the state.

The identities and team owner details for the six teams were revealed on Monday and are as below: * Chakradhar Champions (owned by Jindal Steel Limited)

* Nyayadhani Knights (owned by South Eastern Coalfields Limited) * Rajdhani Royals (owned by Shri Bajrang Power and Ispat Limited)

* Mainpat Titans (owned by Chhattisgarh Tourism Board) * Sanskardhani Strikers (owned by Sarda Energy and Minerals Limited)

* Bailadila Bulls (owned by NMDC Limited) The process of allotment of the 22-member team squads involved drawing of lots. First, a draw of lots was conducted to determine the pick order (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) in which the franchises got to draw the squads. It was followed by another draw of lots as each franchise picked an envelope from the bowl, which had the name of the team (A, B, C, D, E, F). This process was overseen by the Department of Sports and Youth Welfare, and Chhattisgarh Hockey ensured complete transparency and balanced teams for all franchises.

The league aims to strengthen the hockey ecosystem in Chhattisgarh, create greater opportunities for emerging players and contribute to the continued development of the national sport in the state. With the tagline “Chalo Re Sangi, Hockey Khelbo”, the league celebrates Chhattisgarh’s sporting identity, regional pride and its growing aspirations in hockey. Nyayadhani Knights: Surender Kumar (Marquee), Rahul Thakur, Mohammad Anish Raza, Lavi Manikpuri, Amit Toppo, Ashwin Kujur, Rohit Rajak, Sagar Suryavanshi, Sayyed Sameer Ali, Kashmir Minj, Abhijit Shrivas, Sonu Nishad, Sukhved Nirmalkar, Shadab Ahmad Khan, Arbaz Ali, Om Rudra Namdev, Aman Verma, Adarsh Raj Singh, Prince Mahto, Ketan Kushwaha, Rohit Kullu, Chirag.

Mainpat Titans: Pradeep Mor (Marquee), Alfaz Khan, Sourya Verma, Ajay Tandi, Rehan Khan, Praveen Yadav, Sahil Xaxa, Mohit Nayak, Arpan Toppo, Aditya Meshram, Akvinash Tigga, Narendra Nishad, Sandeep Thakur, Prince Bhagat, Rahul Pannu, Pranjal Yadav, Nehal Bareth, Manish Vatti, Daksh Choubey, Prahlad, Anand Lakra, Avi Manikpuri. Chakradhar Champions: SV Sunil (Marquee), Aseem Hansh, Vaibhav Singh Chandel, Vishnu Yadav, Avinash Tirkey, Karan Kumar Sahu, Arjun Yadav, Prem Rao, Mohit Kasyap, Anuj Xalxo, Sailendra Verma, Gagan Bakwale, Khogeswar Bagh, Kartik Yadav, Hardik Ahuja, Bhed Choure, Bhavesh Dhankar, Manish Mourya, Baldev Kawasi, Yuvraj Walmiki, Parampreet, Adrohit Ekka.

Rajdhani Royals: Lalit Kumar Upadhyay (Marquee), Himanshu Malick, Vinod Yadav, Junaid Ahmad, Sandeep Yadav, Sumit Minj, Taufik Ahmad, Aniket Kujur, Onkar Yadav, Avinash Ekka, Sreyansh Chourasiya, Yogesh Meshram, Zubair Mohhamed, Khushal Yadav, Kunal Sendre, Yogesh Yadav, Chinta Ram, Arpan Lakra, Piyush Kumar Sahu, Sanjit Tirkey, Premchand Soy, Raushan Kumar. Sanskardhani Strikers: Shamsher (Marquee), Aditya Kumar Netam, Roshan Rajput, Jhakmak Lakra, Manas Patel, Somdev Suryavanshi, Nishant Tirkey, Tarun Yadav, Jeetu Hemla, Kushal Yadav, Somnath Yadav, Muhurt Kaushik, Om Kumar Yadav, Prakash Patel, Sarikh Ahmed, Muniswar Kumar, Mahendra Singh Nag, Abhishek Yadav, Ayush Sahu, Aryan Xess, Shahrukh, Ashish Tani Purti.

Bailadila Bulls: Chinglensana Singh Kangujam (Marquee), Daleswar Yadav, Santosh Mourya, Robit Ekka, Gulshan Kaushik, Prahlad Tandi, Anand Suryavanshi, Nihal Hussain, Vishal Kispotta, Chandrashekhar Kuswaha, Prabhat Singh, Preetam Kujur, Ganesh Yadav, Aditya Meravi, Karan Verma, Toman Sahu, Himesh Banshod, Gopal Paikra, Aman Nag, Jaskaran Singh, Rahul Yadav, Karan Dhanuk. (ANI)