# India men's national ice hockey team

The India national ice hockey team is the national men's ice hockey team of India. They are controlled by the Ice Hockey Association of India and a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). India has mostly participated in the Challenge Cup of Asia, a regional tournament for lower-tier ice hockey nations in Asia.

## History
### Background of ice hockey in Ladakh

The history of ice hockey in India dates back almost 100 years, when ice hockey was a favourite pastime for the British Raj in Shimla. The Shimla Ice Skating Club is still very active in promoting ice sports in India. In the early 1970s, the Ladakh Scouts, a battalion of the Indian Army posted in the high border regions, took up the game. The high Changthang Plateau's frozen streams and high altitude lakes make the region an ideal place to play ice hockey, and as a result, the game spread amongst the army. The game gained more widespread popularity exhibition matches began taking place in Leh in the winter. With little to do during the region's harsh winters, locals began to play on a small irrigation pond in Karzoo, Leh.
Ice hockey gear was not and is still not available to buy in Ladakh. The few locals who have contacts outside Ladakh have requested friends to get ice hockey skates. The Ladakh Scouts are well equipped as they get their gear through the army. The Jammu & Kashmir department of tourism also had a full set of equipment, but was reluctant to spare any. The only place in India where ice sports equipment is readily available is Shimla, a small hill station in the northwestern part of India, where two Chinese brothers began making skates that are still used today.
Due to the lack of accessible equipment, Ladakhis began to improvise, with the first teams obtaining ice skating blades from Shimla and nailing them to army ammunition boots. Roller skates and ground hockey sticks were also used. To create pucks, locals cut the thick, rubber heels of army boots into a rounded shape. Goalkeepers wore ground hockey pads but lacked helmets; neither helmets nor knee and elbow pads were used by other players. Despite injuries, due to this lack of protective gear, the game has continued to grow in popularity in the region.

### National team

India made its international debut in 2009 at the IIHF Challenge Cup of Asia in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, finishing eighth and thus last. In their first game, they were shutout by Thailand 14–0. After two more losses, a 10–0 loss to Mongolia and a 10–1 loss to Malaysia, India, bottom of their group with a goal difference of minus 33, in which they again lost both games. First, they lost to Singapore 5–0, and finally lost to Macau 8–0 in the seventh place game. Two years later, they suffered their biggest international defeat to date at 2–39 against Kuwait at the 2011 IIHF Challenge Cup of Asia. On 21 March 2012, the national team notched its first international victory at the 2012 IIHF Challenge Cup of Asia, they defeated Macau 5–1. India has participated in the IIHF Challenge Cup of Asia from 2009 to 2018, with the exception of 2010. From 2014 to 2018, they played in Division I of the IIHF Challenge Cup of Asia. In 2017, India finished second of four teams in Division I tournament (seventh overall). First, they narrowly defeated Oman 3–2, then lost to Kuwait 8–5, and finally won 7–3 over Macau. India participated at the Winter Asian Games in 2025. They lost all the matches except the one against Macau.

## Tournament record
### Asian Winter Games

| Year | Host | Result | Pld | W | OTW | OTL | L |
| 2025 | Harbin | 12th place | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Total | Total | 1/1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |

### Challenge Cup of Asia

| Year | Host | Result | Pld | W | OTW | OTL | L |
| 2008 | Hong Kong | Did not participate | Did not participate | Did not participate | Did not participate | Did not participate | Did not participate |
| 2009 | Abu Dhabi | 8th place | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 2010 | Taipei City | Did not participate | Did not participate | Did not participate | Did not participate | Did not participate | Did not participate |
| 2011 | Kuwait City | 6th place | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 2012 | Dehradun | 6th place | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 2013 | Bangkok | 10th place | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 2014 | Bishkek | 10th place (4th in Division I) | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 2015 | Kuwait City | 11th place (6th in Division I) | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 2016 | Bishkek | 10th place (5th in Division I) | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 2017 | Kuwait City | 7th place (2nd in Division I) | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2018 | Kuala Lumpur | 9th place (4th in Division I) | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 2019 | Kuala Lumpur | Did not participate | Did not participate | Did not participate | Did not participate | Did not participate | Did not participate |
| Total | Total | 9/12 | 41 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 37 |

## Players and personnel
### Team roster

For the 2025 Asian Winter Games
| # | Name | Pos | S/G | Birthdate |
| 7 | Tsewang Gyaltson (C) | D | R | (1992-11-16) 16 November 1992 (age 32) |
| 11 | Sajjad Hussain | D | R | (1995-02-22) 22 February 1995 (age 29) |
| 12 | Stanzin Lotus | F | R | (2005-05-04) 4 May 2005 (age 19) |
| 16 | Tsering Angchuk | D | R | (1997-12-31) 31 December 1997 (age 27) |
| 17 | Ghulam Mustafa | D | R | (1997-08-27) 27 August 1997 (age 27) |
| 18 | Stanzin Angchok | F | R | (1999-05-08) 8 May 1999 (age 25) |
| 21 | Rigzin Norboo | D | R | (1992-10-23) 23 October 1992 (age 32) |
| 24 | Stanzin Namgyal | D | R | (1993-09-24) 24 September 1993 (age 31) |
| 34 | Stanzin Phandey | G | L | (1987-07-14) 14 July 1987 (age 37) |
| 37 | Angchok Lakdan | F | R | (1993-08-10) 10 August 1993 (age 31) |
| 38 | Namgail Tundup | G | L | (1992-04-07) 7 April 1992 (age 32) |
| 42 | Mohd Ismail | F | R | (1992-02-02) 2 February 1992 (age 33) |
| 44 | Mohammad Ali Baba | F | R | (2006-10-13) 13 October 2006 (age 18) |
| 47 | Namgail Tashi | F | R | (1996-03-10) 10 March 1996 (age 28) |
| 68 | Angchok Dorjay | F | R | (1989-12-20) 20 December 1989 (age 35) |
| 72 | Chamba Tsetan (A) | F | R | (1994-01-30) 30 January 1994 (age 31) |
| 77 | Jigmath Kunzan | F | R | (1991-04-08) 8 April 1991 (age 33) |
| 83 | Lotus Chamba | G | L | (1996-09-25) 25 September 1996 (age 28) |
| 87 | Namgyal Deldan | F | R | (1999-06-24) 24 June 1999 (age 25) |
| 88 | Tsewang Dorjay | F | R | (1997-12-29) 29 December 1997 (age 27) |
| 94 | Nawang Zangpo (A) | D | L | (1994-04-05) 5 April 1994 (age 30) |
| 95 | Namgyal Deskyong | D | R | (1993-01-08) 8 January 1993 (age 32) |
| 97 | Tsering Angdus | F | R | (1997-03-26) 26 March 1997 (age 27) |

### Team staff

For the Ice hockey at the 2025 Asian Winter Games
* Head coach: Darrin Harrold
* Assistant coach: Amit Belwal
* Assistant coach: Abdul Hakim
* General manager: Rajat Malhotra
* Team leader: Noor Jahan
* Doctor: Sarthak Patnaik
* Physiotherapist: Shantanu Mahajan
* Team staff: Bharat Singh

## All-time record against other national teams

Key :
* Positive balance (more wins)
* Neutral balance (wins = losses)
* Negative balance (more losses)
| Team | GP | W | T | L | GF | GA |
| Hong Kong | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 66 |
| Indonesia | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 8 |
| Kuwait | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 11 | 70 |
| Kyrgyzstan | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 44 |
| Macau | 11 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 31 | 49 |
| Malaysia | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 15 | 78 |
| Mongolia | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 30 |
| Oman | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Qatar | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| Singapore | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 11 | 55 |
| Thailand | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 43 |
| Turkmenistan | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 19 |
| United Arab Emirates | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 19 |
| Total | 45 | 5 | 0 | 40 | 88 | 493 |