Indian hockey has been on a rollercoaster ride since 2022, bouncing back from pandemic shutdowns and the earlier closure of the Dehradun ice rink. The sport has since entered a period of rapid growth and landmark achievements, even as leadership disputes cast a long shadow over its progress.
| This article is part of |
|---|
| ☸️ The India Series – History, Future & Beyond ☸️ |
| 1️⃣ The History of Ice Hockey in India |
| 2️⃣ Chasing the 2042 Olympic Dream |
| 3️⃣ Historic 2025 for Indian Ice Hockey |
| 4️⃣ Apna – The Indian Hockey Community in Canada |
| 5️⃣ IHAI vs IHFI – Power Clash in Indian Ice Hockey |
A Heavyweight on Ice: Royal Enfield Rides Into Ladakh Hockey
Let’s start with the good news. In 2023, a powerful ally entered the Ladakhi hockey scene — the beating heart of Indian ice hockey. Royal Enfield, India’s iconic motorcycle giant, stepped up with financial backing for several development initiatives in the Himalayan region — including a flagship project focused on growing the local game.
Royal Enfield Unveils ‘The Game Changer’ Blueprint
In December 2023, representatives of the UT Ladakh administration, Royal Enfield’s CSR wing, and the Indian government held a press conference to announce the launch of a bold new initiative titled “The Game Changer – Blueprint for the Development of Ice Hockey.”
The project is part of a broader vision to transform Ladakh into India’s hub of winter sports. Developed by Royal Enfield at the behest of the UT Ladakh administration, the blueprint was created with the support and guidance of the Ice Hockey Association of India (IHAI). (1, 2)
The project was officially launched by then Sports Minister Anurag Singh Thakur, who expressed his belief that the initiative would play a key role in helping India reach the world’s biggest stages in the long run: (3)
Building Blocks of the Future: What the Blueprint Aims to Deliver
The blueprint, which also incorporated expert input from the IIHF itself, focuses on development across several key areas:
• improving infrastructure and access to proper equipment
• building a structured scouting system
• organizing training camps
• implementing coaching education programs
• advancing training methodology
• establishing developmental competitions (leagues, tournaments)
From Backyard Rinks to the 2042 Olympics Dream
Royal Enfield’s CSR division, RE Social Mission, introduces the project with the following statement: (4)
“Winter Sports emerges as a promising avenue to build resilience and pride, and generate livelihood opportunities – particularly for the youth. The game plan is to elevate the Indian National Ice Hockey Team to participate at the Olympics 2042 and transform Ladakh into a premier winter sports destination.
Royal Enfield developed ‘The Gamechanger: Blueprint for the Development of Ice Hockey in Ladakh’ – a pioneering document charting a roadmap for Ladakhi players to take the sport from backyards to the international sporting stage.”
Bidisha Dey, executive director of the Eicher Group Foundation (with Eicher Group as the parent company of Royal Enfield), emphasized the project’s strong community focus and its grassroots foundations: (5)
“Royal Enfield’s vision for enabling the Indian ice hockey team to compete in the 2042 Winter Olympics is rooted in a strategic and long-term plan outlined in the ‘Game Changer Blueprint for the Development of Ice Hockey’.
The plan has been created with deep-rooted, on-ground feedback and working with international experts and support from the International Ice Hockey Federation.”
Dey also hinted at the scale of financial commitment, revealing that a “significant proportion” of the overall 518.7 million rupees (approximately 5.08 million euros) budget for the 2024–2025 season would be allocated to developing local sports and education initiatives.
Ladakh’s Hockey Revolution Hits the Ice
The blueprint didn’t stay on paper for long — it was brought to life with impressive speed. In January 2024, Ladakh hosted the inaugural Royal Enfield Ice Hockey League, and perhaps even more significantly, the IIHF Learn to Play (LTP) program ramped up its activities.
Focused on building leadership and coaching fundamentals, the LTP program now reaches 1,000+ children across 10 villages and works with 30+ coaches. (6) The long-term goal? To engage as many as 12,500 children by 2028. (7)
Ace the Ice – Vision, Unity and Bold Dreams
Ahead of the second edition of the Royal Enfield Ice Hockey League, the Ice Hockey Association of Ladakh (IHAL) — a key local stakeholder under IHAI — teamed up with officials from UT Ladakh to organize a high-profile promotional event in New Delhi in December 2024. Titled Royal Enfield Ace the Ice, the event featured the unveiling of the official league trophy and team jerseys for the upcoming season.
The gathering brought together several prominent figures from the Indian winter sports scene, including Olympian luger Shiva Keshavan and former women’s national team goaltender-turned-IHAI official Noor Jahan. Both praised the role of the government and Ladakh’s regional administration in supplying young players with essential hockey gear — completely free of charge.
Encouraging words also came from Abhay Dogra, president of the Ice Hockey Association of Himachal Pradesh: (8)
RE Ice Hockey League Turns Into a High-Altitude Hockey Spectacle
A month later, from January 4 to 13, 2025, the second edition of the RE Ice Hockey League unfolded with 10 men’s and 10 women’s teams battling for glory. In the men’s tournament, reigning champions Kang Sings defended their title with a hard-fought win over Changthang Shans in the final. On the women’s side, Maryul Spamo edged out Changla Lamos in a closely contested finale.
The tournament took place at the Ice Rink of the Nawang Dorjay Stobdan Sports Complex in Leh, perched at an altitude of 3,524 meters and surrounded by the majestic Himalayan landscape. A crowd of 5,000 passionate fans packed the stands, fueling the action with high-altitude energy and unmissable excitement.
Ladakh’s Cold Reality Melts Away: Ice Hockey Gets a Permanent Home
As the stadium remained incomplete — with no full cover and no permanent ice system in place — it was up to local volunteers to make hockey happen. Every freezing morning at –19°C, they were out on the rink before sunrise, flooding, scraping, and preparing the surface so that the day’s matches could go on.
Yet if Ladakh — and Indian hockey in general — is to truly evolve, building full-fledged infrastructure is absolutely crucial. That means modern rinks with permanent ice that can operate year-round. Climate change is already shrinking the Ladakhi winter, and the reality of having only a three-month playing window each year is a massive disadvantage on the global stage.
But that’s about to change. As Tundup Namgyal, former captain of the Indian men’s national team and now an official with the Ice Hockey Association of Ladakh, said during the 2025 Khelo Games: (9)
Adding to the momentum, construction of another Olympic-size covered ice rink is underway in Kargil. According to a February 2025 report by Financial Express, about 60% of the work was already complete. (10)
Following the string of major breakthroughs in 2025 – including the reopening of the Dehradun rink – completing both venues in Ladakh would be another landmark moment in what’s already a historic year for Indian ice hockey.
What Lies Ahead for Indian Hockey
For decades, hockey in Ladakh grew from the ground up – a grassroots, community-driven effort fueled by passion more than resources. But today, new players are stepping onto the ice. The private sector and local administration are investing in the sport, while national sports authorities and the central government are beginning to put their weight behind it.
This evolving ecosystem promises exciting growth, yet it also introduces new complications. Power struggles and murky relationships are already bubbling beneath the surface – a storyline we explored HERE.
| This article is part of |
|---|
| ☸️ The India Series – History, Future & Beyond ☸️ |
| 1️⃣ The History of Ice Hockey in India |
| 2️⃣ Chasing the 2042 Olympic Dream |
| 3️⃣ Historic 2025 for Indian Ice Hockey |
| 4️⃣ Apna – The Indian Hockey Community in Canada |
| 5️⃣ IHAI vs IHFI – Power Clash in Indian Ice Hockey |
Sources, Quotes and Notes:
- newindian.in/royal-enfield-lahdc-unveil-blueprint-for-ice-hockey-development-in-ladakh/
- ssemailer.b-cdn.net/RE/Blueprint_Ice_Hockey.pdf
- newindian.in/royal-enfield-lahdc-unveil-blueprint-for-ice-hockey-development-in-ladakh/
- socialmission.royalenfield.com/#programmeTabs
- financialexpress.com/sports/breaking-the-ice-the-frozen-potential-of-ice-hockey/3750439/
- instagram.com/p/DLzg_d-BZR0/?img_index=8
- financialexpress.com/sports/breaking-the-ice-the-frozen-potential-of-ice-hockey/3750439/
- youtube.com/watch?v=D_lB8b1sEek
- olympics.com/en/news/khelo-india-winter-games-2025-nawang-dorjay-nds-stadium-kiwg-venue
- financialexpress.com/sports/breaking-the-ice-the-frozen-potential-of-ice-hockey/3750439/
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