Jaipur, January 29, 2026.
The 5th Soft Hockey National Championship 2025–26 was inaugurated with a grand and dignified ceremony on Wednesday at the Astro Turf Hockey Ground, Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur, marking the beginning of a major sporting celebration in the Pink City.
The Minister of State for Sports, Government of Rajasthan, K. K. Vishnoi, was the Chief Guest of the ceremony, while the event was presided over by Dr. Ashutosh Pant, National President, Soft Hockey Federation. Distinguished guests present on the occasion included IG Sandeep Singh Chauhan, Shikha Pant, Senior Vice President G. S. Rathore, National Vice Chairman Soft Hockey League Dr. Aditya Nag, Pushpendra Singh Rathore, Ramavatar and Joint Secretary Arun Singh, along with other federation office bearers. Savera Hospital supported the event as a medical tourism partner.
Chief Guest K. K. Vishnoi formally inaugurated the championship by playing soft hockey himself. Encouraging the players, he said, “One team wins and the other learns — a player never loses.” He praised the sport of soft hockey and expressed confidence in its bright future, adding that such tournaments play a vital role in providing national-level exposure to young talent.
National President Dr. Ashutosh Pant said that the federation has launched the campaign “Hockey in Every Home” with the objective of popularizing soft hockey and strengthening sports culture across the country.
Teams from Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Puducherry, Rajasthan and Gujarat, among other states, are participating in the national championship.
The opening day featured the first match in the Senior Boys category, where Maharashtra defeated Madhya Pradesh by a commanding margin of 9–1, registering an impressive victory.
The championship has begun with a remarkable display of sportsmanship, discipline and enthusiasm, and is expected to give new momentum and recognition to soft hockey at the national level.