Seventh in the series, hockey year book 2008, has been released amidst a galaxy of present and former hockey players, coaches here on Monday.

Delhi based hockey chronicler K. Arumugam has been authoring and publishing hockey year books since 1995.

Speaking on the occasion, national selector and former Olympian Aslam Sher Khan said that Indian needs all round support to come back. “Our bad days are over”, he declared. Dwelling on the book, he said that the authors contribution in terms of articles, books and website is on par with any player’s toil on the field.

National coach Harendira Singh said: “It is full of vital information on hockey. Coaches can meet about 25 percent of their data need from this compilation. Not just hockey fraternity, this book has reached other frontiers as well”.

Dilip Tirkey, former Indian captain, congradulated the author for again coming up with a book. “I am happy on this ocasion. I vividly remember I was selected Hockey Year Book’s Best Player of the Year in 1996. The same author also wrote a book on me, which helped hockey spread in my State” , the world’s most capped player said.

Indian team manager Col Balbir Singh, coach Ramandeep Singh and Sukvir Grewal too graced the occasion.

Thanking the august gathering on the dais, author & publisher K. Arumugam said that this year book devotes a full section for Debut Makers, Chak De India, and players profile. “This book is not just about numbers, but chronicling the events, the author of 11 books on hockey said.

The 176-page hardbound book contains about 200 images, statistics, perspectives, interviews and useful information on hockey

In order to popularize the book, I made it a point to release the book in different cities. Last time, the book was released in Bangalore, before that in New Delhi. Am happy to release here in Chandigarh.

Chak De India’s lyricist and script writer Jaideep Sahni has given a foreword for the book, where he mentions as follows:

“For years the Hockey Yearbook has been the chronicle, fact-keeper and the historian to the amazing world of field hockey”

Year books have touched our work and research during the making of Chak De! India in more ways can be simply told”

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