India national ice hockey team

India

Shirt badge/Association crest A version of the national federations logo is the badge used on the players jerseys.
Association	Ice Hockey Association of India
Head coach	Shomit Datta
Assistants	Abdul Hakim
Captain	Mushtague Giri
Most games	Mohd Iqbal (19) Mushtaque Giri (19)
Most points	Mohd Iqbal (8)
IIHF code	IND
Team colors
First international
Thailand 14 – 0 India (Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; 15 March 2009)
Biggest win
India 5 – 1 Macau (Dehradun, India; 21 March 2012)
Biggest defeat
Kuwait 39 – 2 India (Kuwait City, Kuwait; 26 April 2011)
IIHF Challenge Cup of Asia
Appearances	4 (first in 2009)
Best result	6th (2011)
International record (W–L–T)
1–18–0

The India national ice hockey team is the national ice hockey team of India, and a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation.

Background of Ice Hockey in Ladakh

The history of ice hockey in India dates back almost 100 years, when ice hockey was a favourite pastime for the British in Shimla, Punjab. The Shimla Ice Skating Club is still very active in promoting ice sports in India. In the early '70s, the Ladakh Scouts, a battalion of the Indian army posted in the high border regions, took up the game. The high Changthang Plateau's frozen streams and high altitude lakes make the region an ideal place to play ice hockey, and as a result the game spread amongst the army. The game gained more widespread popularity exhibition matches began taking place in Leh in the winter. With little to do during the region's harsh winters, locals began to play on a small irrigation pond in Karzoo, Leh.

Ice hockey gear was not and is still not available to buy in Ladakh. The few locals who have contacts outside Ladakh have requested friends to get ice hockey skates. The Ladakh Scouts are well equipped as they get their gear through the army. The Jammu & Kashmir department of tourism also has a full set of equipment, but is reluctant to spare any. The only place in India where ice sports equipment is readily available is Shimla, a small hill station in the northwestern part of India, where two Chinese brothers began making skates that are still used today.

Due to the lack of accessible equipment, Ladhakis began to improvise, with the first teams obtaining ice skating blades from Shimla and nailing them to army ammunition boots. Roller skates and ground hockey sticks were also used. To create pucks, locals cut the thick, rubber heels of army boots into a rounded shape. Goal keepers wore ground hockey pads but lacked helmets; neither helmets nor knee and elbow pads were used by other players. Despite injuries due to this lack of protective gear, the game has continued to grow in popularity in the region.

Roster

Roster for the 2016 IIHF Challenge Cup of Asia – Division I.

Goaltenders
#	Player	Catches	Height	Weight	Date of birth	Club
1	Nawang Dorje	L	163 cm	58 kg	(1988-02-01) 1 February 1988	No Team
15	Sonam Gurmat	L	163 cm	77 kg	(1980-12-22) 22 December 1980	No Team
32	Gamandeep Singh	L	173 cm	86 kg	(1995-03-01) 1 March 1995	No Team
Defencemen
#	Player	Shoots	Height	Weight	Date of birth	Club
87	Ali Amir	L	175 cm	70 kg	(1980-02-01) 1 February 1980	No Team
7	Tsewang Gyaltson	R	175 cm	63 kg	(1992-11-16) 16 November 1992	No Team
21	Stanzin Namgyal	R	172 cm	61 kg	(1993-09-24) 24 September 1993	No Team
29	Rigzin Norboo	L	164 cm	63 kg	(1992-10-23) 23 October 1992	No Team
44	Thinless Nurboo	R	165 cm	50 kg	(1984-05-15) 15 May 1984	No Team
73	Tsewang Punchok	L	169 cm	59 kg	(1983-01-05) 5 January 1983	No Team
Forwards
#	Player	Shoots	Height	Weight	Date of birth	Club
5	Amit Belwal	L	166 cm	68 kg	(1993-03-10) 10 March 1993	No Team
48	Brij Bhupinder Singh	L	177 cm	64 kg	(1997-01-06) 6 January 1997	No Team
4	Mohd Ajaz Giri	R	175 cm	650 kg	(1985-08-28) 28 August 1985	No Team
9	Tsewang Namgail	R	172 cm	62 kg	(1988-08-06) 6 August 1988	No Team
55	Lundup Namgail	R	175 cm	72 kg	(1984-05-01) 1 May 1984	No Team
10	Stanzin Namgyal	R	167 cm	53 kg	(1995-04-27) 27 April 1995	No Team
45	Rigzin Norboo	L	163 cm	60 kg	(1987-01-04) 4 January 1987	No Team
49	Aashu Singh	R	165 cm	58 kg	(1992-04-19) 19 April 1992	No Team
57	Gonbo Tashi	R	175 cm	74 kg	(1989-03-01) 1 March 1989	No Team
27	Virender Thapa	L	173 cm	70 kg	(1988-10-27) 27 October 1988	No Team
74	Chamba Tsetan	R	163 cm	58 kg	(1994-01-30) 30 January 1994	No Team
99	Rinchen Tundup	R	177 cm	62 kg	(1984-10-07) 7 October 1984	No Team

External links

• Ice Hockey Association of india