Signed after long deliberations on the basis of an agreement formula proposed by the Union Minister of State (I/C) for Youth Affairs and Sports Shri Ajay Maken, this breakthrough administrative arrangement will end the duality existing in Hockey for the past more than 2 ½ years. Shri Maken, who was in New York heading a delegation to United Nations spoke to both the parties and officials from the Ministry and congratulated them.

The combined body which will work towards a formal merger will undertake

(1) Selection of National Teams,

(2) Preparation of National Teams and

(3) Participation of National Teams in International Tournaments including the Olympic 2012.

The annual National Championship will be jointly hold by I.H.F. & H.I after holding joint selection of state teams and the name of H.I. would suitably be changed to “Bharat Hockey”, “ Hockey Bharat” or “India Hockey” or any other mutually agreed name.

Shri Maken in a message from New York expressed the hope that this step would end the prevalent uncertainty for players and participation of our teams in International Tournaments and would eventually lead to the welfare of our national game.