A 16-member India men's hockey team and the India women's hockey team for the 2016 Rio Olympics were announced by Hockey India (HI) on Tuesday. While defender Sushila Chanu is the skipper of the women's side, PR Sreejesh was named the India captain, ahead of Sardar Singh.
India men's hockey team achieved a milestone earlier this year -- securing their best-ever finish -- winning a silver in the Champions Trophy 2016. Ahead of the Rio Olympics, the side coached by Roelant Oltmans will now participate in a camp in SAI Bengaluru.
The men's team will be vying for their first hockey gold medal in 36 years in Rio Olympics 2016.
Meanwhile, the India women's hockey team sealed qualification for the Olympics after 36 years following a decent display at the EuroHockey Championship in London last August. The India women's hockey team had previously qualified for the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, where they finished fourth.
The mega quadrennial event is scheduled to begin in Brazil on August 5. A total of 12 teams will be participating in both the gender categories. The India men's hockey team are grouped alongside Argentina, Canada, Germany, Netherlands and Ireland, while the India women's hockey team are grouped alongside Japan, Australia, United States, Argentina and Great Britain.
Here are the full squads:
INDIA WOMEN'S HOCKEY TEAM SQUAD: Goalkeeper: Savita
Defenders: Deep Grace Ekka, Deepika, Namita Toppo, Sunita Lakra, Sushila Chanu (C)
Midfielders: Navjot Kaur, Monika, Renuka Yadav, Lilima Minz, Nikki Pradhan
Forwards: Anuradha Devi Thokchom, Poonam Rani, Vandana Kataria, Ritu Rani Rampal, Preeti Dubey
Stand by: Rajani Etimarpu, H. Lalruat Feli
Coach: Neil Hawgood
INDIA MEN'S HOCKEY TEAM SQUAD: Goalkeeper: PR Sreejesh (C)
Defenders: Harmanpreet Singh, Rupinder Pal Singh, Kothajit Singh, Surender Kumar, VR Raghunath
Midfielders: Manpreet Singh, Sardar Singh, SK Uthappa, Danish Mujtaba, Devinder Walmiki, Chinglensana Singh
Forwards: SV Sunil, Akashdeep Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Nikkin Thimmaiah
Stand by: Vikas Dahiya, Pardip Mor
Coach: Roelant Oltmans
