In December 2023, Royal Enfield and the Ladakh administration officially launched a strategic blueprint aimed at transforming Ladakh into India’s ice hockey hub and laying the foundation for a potential 2042 Winter Olympics campaign. At the ceremonial launch, Sports Minister Anurag Singh Thakur was flanked by Jamyang Tsering Namgyal — then a Member of Parliament and fellow Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) politician.
It was Jamyang T. Namgyal who, during a media briefing, boldly declared Ladakh as the “capital of ice hockey in India.” A prominent political figure with ties to the country’s top leadership has in recent months become an increasingly influential actor in shaping the future of Indian ice hockey. (1)
| 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 |
Jamyang T. Namgyal Enters the Ring, Pushing a Rival Hockey Federation
In September 2023, even before the official launch of the Royal Enfield-backed blueprint, Namgyal led a high-level delegation to New Delhi, joined by representatives from the Ice Hockey Association of Ladakh (IHAL) and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. During the meeting, the group voiced strong criticism of the Ice Hockey Association of India (IHAI) and officially announced the creation of a rival governing body, the Ice Hockey Federation of India (IHFI) – based in Leh and supported by multiple states. (2)
The delegation’s key criticisms of the Ice Hockey Association of India (IHAI) included:
– Lack of recognition and support for IHAL, despite Ladakh’s key role in Indian ice hockey
– Poor financial transparency and accountability within IHAI
– Biased nomination and appointment processes lacking meritocracy
– Divisive behavior that has fragmented the Ladakhi hockey community rather than uniting it.
The Beef is ON: Power Struggle in Indian Ice Hockey
Namgyal’s initiative has gained backing from parts of the Ladakhi hockey movement, particularly those embedded in local associations who feel underrepresented within the IHAI and sidelined in decision-making or player selections for the national team. Much of the criticism centers on Harjinder Singh Jindi, the long-serving General Secretary of IHAI, who faces serious allegations from critics – including corruption, mismanagement, nepotism, and misuse of funds. (3)
But Jindi strikes back. He dismissed Namgyal’s project as nothing more than political theater aimed at reviving the former MP’s public career: (4)
Who Is Harjinder Singh Jindi – the Man Behind Indian Ice Hockey’s Old Guard?
Harjinder Singh Jindi has been the General Secretary of the Ice Hockey Association of India (IHAI) since 2013. He also holds a seat on the IIHF’s Asia Committee and has led India’s national delegation at the Winter Olympics in 2018 and 2022, as well as at the 2025 Asian Winter Games. (5, 6)
While Jindi isn’t officially the president of IHAI, he’s widely seen as the man in charge. The association has been affiliated with the IIHF since 1989 and with the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) since 2012. However, IHAI still lacks formal recognition as a National Sports Federation (NSF) by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) – largely due to insufficient representation across Indian states. (7) Instead, it currently operates with the lesser status of a National Sports Promotion Organisation (NSPO).
The consequences of this status are very real. Without full NSF recognition, IHAI receives limited and irregular government funding. In recent years, even Indian national teams have had to turn to crowdfunding just to compete abroad.
Still, there may be change on the horizon. In May 2025, Jindi told Reuters that a new national sports bill – now passed in Parliament – could finally open the door for IHAI to be recognized as a full NSF. (8, 9)
Ice Hockey Civil War: India’s Olympic Dream Caught in a Crossfire
The launch of the rival IHFI has ignited a full-blown beef within India’s hockey movement. On one side stands veteran operator Harjinder Singh Jindi, who helped raise India’s profile in international ice hockey and strengthen IHAI’s presence in major sporting structures.
On the other is ambitious Jamyang T. Namgyal, leaning on his deep political connections and strong backing from his native Ladakh. The Ladakhi hockey community itself appears split – with one faction staying loyal to IHAI, while others push for IHFI to be recognized as the official governing body in a bid to give Indian hockey a fresh start.
2025 Asian Winter Games Drama – The Battle Behind the Return to International Ice
The conflict came to a head during preparations for the 2025 Asian Winter Games in Harbin, where India’s men’s national team received an invitation to participate. This marked India’s first potential appearance on international ice in nearly seven years. But until the very last moment, it seemed the team might not make the trip, as the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) initially denied approval for their participation.
MYAS justified its initial rejection by citing a lack of transparency in the player selection process and claiming the team had little chance of performing well. Officials also pointed out that they had received two conflicting rosters from two separate organizations – one of which was the Ice Hockey Association of India (IHAI), while the other remained unnamed. (10, 11)
Local ice hockey associations from both Leh and Kargil entered the fray, challenging the submitted roster and accusing IHAI’s Harjinder Singh Jindi of “misuse of his position, mismanagement of resources, and undermining of the organization’s democratic processes.” They also raised concerns over the alleged continued underrepresentation of Ladakh within IHAI. (12, 13)
The Indian Olympic Association (IOA), siding with IHAI as its official member, lodged a formal objection to the MYAS decision. In response, MYAS announced that it would organize additional selection trials to reassess the roster. However, attendance at these trials was minimal. IOA President P. T. Usha later wrote a letter to Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya requesting that MYAS accept the IHAI-submitted roster, which, according to her, had been delivered properly and on time. (14)
In the end, the conflict was resolved just in time. MYAS accepted IHAI’s player list and approved India’s participation at the Asian Winter Games – but denied any governmental financial support for the players or coaching staff. The decision came just one week before India’s opening match against Hong Kong, held on February 5. (15)
It was ultimately the IOA that ended up covering the team’s expenses. Without their intervention, Jindi himself as the official head of the Indian delegation would have had to pay for his own trip.
India’s First-Ever AWG Campaign: Heavy Scores, Strong Hearts
India was finally able to participate in its first-ever Asian Winter Games. On the ice, the team faced steep challenges – losing 0–30 to Hong Kong and 1–19 to Turkmenistan. Still, they celebrated a hard-fought 4–2 win over Macau before finishing 12th after a 2–13 loss to Singapore in the placement match.
Despite the lopsided scores, India’s fighting spirit drew widespread support on social media – not only from local fans, but also from international followers who recognized the challenges faced by underfunded national programs.
Proxy War Turns Hot
What appeared to be a bureaucratic clash between MYAS and the IOA was, in reality, a proxy war between the IHAI and the newly-formed IHFI – one that was rapidly heating up. The conflict escalated further in late May 2025 when MYAS granted IHFI the same National Sports Promotion Organisation (NSPO) status already held by the IHAI. Namgyal’s faction responded by publicly declaring itself the official ice hockey authority in India. (16)
Historic Bronze Breakthrough Amid the Chaos
In this tense atmosphere, the Indian women’s national team traveled to the UAE to compete in the IIHF Asia Cup, a continuation of the former IIHF Challenge Cup. Despite the surrounding drama, the squad delivered a standout performance in early June, finishing third behind the Philippines and Iran and securing a historic bronze medal. While not a top-tier tournament – with Asia’s strongest teams absent – the event marked a major test for the Indian side, and they passed with flying colors.
The achievement received media attention back home and praise across social media. But the political maneuvering behind the scenes continued: just ten days after the tournament, the IHFI faction convened its Annual General Body Meeting (AGBM), where leaders expressed their ambition to seek official recognition from both the IIHF and the IOA. (17)
Two NSPOs, One Ice Ring: India’s Ice Hockey Governance in Limbo
Whether IHFI will succeed in its bid remains to be seen, but the moment it was granted NSPO status, a de facto parallel power structure was created. The situation caught the attention of Indian media, which pressed MYAS for comment – only to be met with silence, as highlighted by Telecomasia.net: (18)
The situation remains murky. For now, it is Jindi’s IHAI that continues to represent ice hockey in official government communication – most recently being invited to the upcoming talks on the Khelo India Games format for the next five years.
Namgyal, however, insists it is only a matter of time before IHFI takes over as India’s official hockey authority.
As is often the case, it’s the athletes who pay the price in such turf wars. One member of the women’s national bronze-winning team, speaking anonymously to Telecomasia.com, said: (19)
The Karmic Turn: Indian Hockey at a Defining Moment
At its core, this is more than just a dispute between federations – it’s a reflection of deeper tensions between a key development region and the national power center. Multiple actors are involved in the tug-of-war over the future of Indian ice hockey: the central government, local administrations, national sports authorities, the official federation, and its regional challengers.
Layered on top of this is real-world politics, where strategic positioning, regional representation, and personal ambitions all play a role. The outcome of this power struggle will shape not only who governs Indian ice hockey – but also how far the sport can truly go.
| 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/
- facebook.com/photo/?fbid=3399737470276495&set=a.1497333430516918
- newindian.in/ice-hockey-in-crisis-mismanagement-clouds-indias-asian-winter-games-bid/
- telecomasia.net/in/blog/exclusive-cold-conflict-governance-feud-overshadows-india-s-ice-hockey-breakthrough/
- iihf.com/en/static/31467/iihf_committees_2021-2026
- thebridge.in/olympics/harjinder-singh-india-chef-de-mission-beijing-winter-olympics-27548
- Each NSF, according to the National Sports Development Code of India (2011), is expected to represent at least 75 percent of Indian states – a requirement that is virtually impossible under current conditions, given that ice hockey in India remains almost exclusively confined to Himalayan regions.
sportstar.thehindu.com/other-sports/india-ice-hockey-team-ladakh-problem-removed-asian-winter-games-2025-squad/article69108399.ece - reuters.com/world/india/indias-icy-indifference-winter-sport-frustrates-trailblazer-keshavan-2025-05-06/
- timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/more-sports/others/sports-bill-is-now-an-act-after-president-nod/articleshow/123401717.cms
- sportstar.thehindu.com/other-sports/india-ice-hockey-team-ladakh-problem-removed-asian-winter-games-2025-squad/article69108399.ece
- hindustantimes.com/sports/others/ministry-clears-indian-contingent-for-asian-winter-games-101738259894115.html
- newindian.in/bias-alleged-in-ice-hockey-team-selection-for-asian-winter-games-2025/
- newindian.in/complaint-filed-against-harjinder-singh-gen-sec-ihai-over-misuse-of-authority/
- timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/more-sports/others/ice-hockey-teams-participation-in-asian-winter-games-hangs-in-balance/articleshow/117569644.cms
- hindustantimes.com/sports/others/ministry-clears-indian-contingent-for-asian-winter-games-101738259894115.html
- telecomasia.net/in/blog/exclusive-cold-conflict-governance-feud-overshadows-india-s-ice-hockey-breakthrough/
- dailyexcelsior.com/ihfi-holds-agbm-launches-nspo-in-leh/
- telecomasia.net/in/blog/exclusive-cold-conflict-governance-feud-overshadows-india-s-ice-hockey-breakthrough/
- telecomasia.net/in/blog/exclusive-cold-conflict-governance-feud-overshadows-india-s-ice-hockey-breakthrough/
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