Why did India not participate in the first Asia Cup despite being the continent’s women’s pioneer, much like their male counterparts?

Let’s first take a quick look at the history of the administration of women’s hockey in India. At the time of the first Asia Cup in 1985, the All India Women’s Hockey Association (AIWHA) was the governing body. It later become the Indian Women Hockey Federation (IWHA) before being rendered dysfunctional in 2009.

The AIWHA hosted the Asia Cup twice, once in the mid-1960s and the other in the late 1970s. However, those two attempts were not counted as official, reasons for which is a theme for another day.

The unmistakable point is that despite not being part of the first Asia Cup held in 1985, India always promoted women’s hockey and is the leading light of Asia.

Why then did India miss out on the Seoul event despite being touted as title prospects. India were the reigning Asian Games women’s champions, having won the New Delhi edition without losing a match.

The reason for not appearing at the inaugural Seoul Asia Cup was a lack of coordination between the provider (Government of India and its agencies) and the apex hockey organization, AIWHA.

In those days, the Indian government had sweeping powers over sending sports teams abroad. Besides providing finance for the trip, it also enforced many guidelines for teams to be cleared for any foreign trip.

One of the stringent conditions compelled the team to undergo at least a month’s preparation at a central camp.

The AIWHA had shortlisted 30 players for the camp in Patiala where the National Institute of Sports (NIS) is located.

It also meant Olympian Harmik Singh, who headed the Sports Department was the head coach. However, the AIWHA had announced another veteran, Olympian Jhaman Lal Sharma, as the head coach with Satinder Walia and Puran Singh as his deputies. In fact, originally the camp was to be held in Lucknow where Sharma headed the Sports Department of Uttar Pradesh. Players had reached Delhi en route to Lucknow but were asked to proceed to the NIS in Patiala instead.

What had happened was that the NIS had itself asked the AIWHA to organize its camp at Lucknow but withdrew on hearing that the Lucknow organizers demanded a princely sum of Rs 30,000 (SO CHEAP??) towards expenses.

So, the players who assembled at Delhi and had no arrangements for stay were asked to proceed to Patiala much to their astonishment. According to the then AIWHA authorities, parents of the campers were reluctant to send their wards to Punjab which was then passing through a terrorist phase.

The AIWHA insisted on the Lucknow camp which fell on deaf ears of Government authorities. The result – the camp was canceled and the tour, thereby, was as well!

Asia numero uno India thus missed the inaugural Asia Cup which it tried hard to introduce in the last three decades.

What an irony!

South Korea winners at home in Seoul after winning their concluding league match 4-1 over Japan went on to dethrone India at the next Asian Games in the same city and emerge champions.