Many will be quick to assume that India is only interested in cricket. While it remains the most popular sport in the country, the locals are also interested in football, kabaddi, and hockey.
That’s right. India also shares a passion for hockey, which has been evident in several Indian players who have made a name for themselves in the National Hockey League (NHL).
India’s Interest in Hockey
Before we dive deeper into the impressive careers of India’s best hockey players, let’s look at the country’s interest in hockey. The sport is said to have been introduced by British army officers in the early 20th century, but it was for field hockey. The main reason for that is India’s climate and geographical conditions.
Then, it was in 1885 when the first hockey club was formed in Calcutta (now Kolkata). Some of the early hockey tournaments in the country were the Beighton Cup in Calcutta and the Aga Khan tournament in Bombay (now Mumbai).
Now, it wasn’t like the locals were just playing it for fun because the Indian Hockey Federation, established in 1925, played a big part in ensuring that hockey became a permanent sport at the Olympic Games. Speaking of the Olympics, Indian hockey teams have also seen great success here.
The men’s hockey team joined the Olympics in 1928 in Amsterdam, winning the first gold medal without conceding a single goal. Since then, India has always dominated the sport in the Olympics and brought home gold medals from 1928-1956.
While India’s dominance in hockey waned in the latter half of the 20th century, things are again looking up after the Indian men’s hockey team won a bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. This ended their 41-year medal drought.
This victory could have motivated India’s younger generation to show more interest in the sport. Nowadays, it’s so easy to follow any tournament overseas, and many are starting to show interest in Canadian hockey, especially the NHL, to watch matches and find a safe betting platform in India to place their bets.
Indian Players in the NHL
With such a rich hockey history in India, it doesn’t come as a surprise that many also show interest in Ice hockey. That’s especially the case for those who are situated in Canada. Here’s a closer look at some successful NHL players with Indian roots.
Robin Bawa
Robin Bawa was the first player of South Asian and Indian descent to make it into the NHL. He was born into a Punjabi family in Duncan, British Columbia, Canada, and has played for teams like the Washington Capitals, Vancouver Canucks, San Jose Sharks, and Anaheim Ducks. He retired from professional ice hockey in 1999.
Manny Malhotra
Manny Malhotra, born in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, was also born to a Punjabi family. He’s one of the most successful Indian ice hockey players. He has played for several NHL teams, including the New York Rangers, Dallas Stars, Columbus Blue Jackets, San Jose Sharks, Vancouver Canucks, Carolina Hurricanes, and Montreal Canadiens.
Malhotra is known for his two-way forward play and impressive faceoff-winning ratio. He retired in 2016 but still didn’t completely exit the hockey scene. He’s taken on various coaching roles, and right now, he is the head coach of the Abbotsford Canucks in the American Hockey League (AHL).
Arshdeep Bains
Arshdeep Bains, a recent addition to the NHL, made his debut with the Vancouver Canucks. Bains, who hails from Surrey, British Columbia, has shown promise and is part of the growing list of players of Indian descent in the NHL.
Kevin Bahl
Kevin Bahl, of Indian-Canadian descent, made his NHL debut during the 2020-21 season. The Arizona Coyotes drafted and traded him to the New Jersey Devils. Bahl has played many games for the Devils and continues to make an impact.
Jujhar Khaira
Jujhar Khaira, born in Surrey, British Columbia, has played for the Edmonton Oilers and Chicago Blackhawks. Khaira is known for his physical play and has been a valuable asset to his teams. He’s still active in the NHL and is playing as a defenseman for the Calgary Flames.
In the End
With the NHL seeing a surge of interest based on the recent 4 Nations Face-Off, we expect more countries to show interest in the tournament, especially India. This growing interest could lead to even more diverse talent entering the league.
More young people in India and other places seeing these Indian Canadian players succeed might start thinking, “Hey, I could do that too!”
Overall, it’s exciting to think about how the NHL might become even more global, bringing people together through the love of hockey.
