Hockey India appoints V Baskaran as Coach of the Senior Men Hockey Team

New Delhi, 20 November 2013: Hockey India today announced the appointment of Olympic Gold Medalist Mr. V Baskaran as Coach of the Senior Men Hockey Team. Mr. Baskaran will work under the recently appointed Chief Coach Mr. Terry Walsh.

Mr. Baskaran has joined the training camp of the senior men hockey team at SAI Centre, Bhopal for preparations of the FIH World League Finals in Delhi in January 2014 and the FIH World Cup to be held in The Netherlands next year.

“Mr. Baskaran will form an integral part of the coaching staff headed by Mr. Terry Walsh. I am sure his valuable experience will help the Indian team in its 2014 World Cup and help take Indian hockey to new heights”, said HI General Secretary Narinder Batra.

Baskaran said “It’s a pleasant comeback for me with the senior men national team. It will be excellent to work with Mr. Terry Walsh for the betterment of Indian Hockey”.

Baskaran who was the captain of the team that won the gold medal at the 1980 Olympics in Moscow has 287 internationals caps and has represented India in the Olympic Games in 1976 Montreal, two World Cups in 1973 Amsterdam (Silver) and in 1978 Buenos Aires, two Asian Games in 1974 Tehran (Silver) and in 1978 Bangkok (Silver) and Champions Trophy in 1978 Pakistan (Bronze).

Baskaran coached the senior men national team for ten years. Under his coaching India had played 187 matches including major tournaments such as the Olympic Games in 2000 (Sydney), two World Cups in 1998 in Utrecht and 2006 in Germany, Asian Games 2006 in Doha, Junior World Cup in 1997 in Milton Keynes (Silver) and Champions Trophy in 1997 in Chennai. In 1980, he received the Arjuna Award and in the next year he received Padamshri Award.