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Thiruvananthapuram, October 25 (IANS) As Indian hockey prepares to celebrate a historic year in 2025, the game is sure to be celebrated both on and off the field.
The country will celebrate 100 years of Indian hockey on November 7, 2025 as Tamil Nadu is set to host the men’s FIH Hockey Junior World Cup in Chennai and Madurai from November 28 to December 10, 2025.
To mark the centenary, Professor Vashishtha, a renowned historian and passionate hockey lover from Kerala, has written a tribute song titled “India’s World Cup”.
Professor Vashishtha, former head of the history department at Malabar Christian College, Kozhikode, wrote Tamil songs as a salute to the host state.
The song is performed by one of his former students, Silu Fathina, who has also adopted its tune.
The upbeat number celebrates India’s unity and sporting pride, resonating with the lines: “It’s India’s World Cup, it’s Tamil Nadu’s World Cup, it’s Hockey’s World Cup, it’s Chennai and Madurai’s World Cup – Vijay’s World Cup.”
Professor Vashishtha had earlier composed “Magicians of Kuala Lumpur” to honor the Indian team that won the 1975 Hockey World Cup, highlighting the role of sport in promoting cultural harmony across the country.
India won the Hockey World Cup in 1975. This match was played in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. In this match, India defeated Pakistan 2-1.
The 14th edition of the Men’s Junior World Cup will see a record 24 teams compete for honors – the largest participation in the tournament’s history. India, which has previously hosted the event in New Delhi (2013), Lucknow (2016), and Bhubaneswar (2021), remains one of the favorites to lift the trophy, having won once in 2016 and finishing third on three occasions.
For Indian hockey, 2025 will not only be a year to remember, but also an affirmation of the country’s enduring passion for the sport and its growing global stature.
–IANS
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