Hyderabad: Women’s hockey qualifiers concluded in Gachibowli after a multi-nation tournament that doubled as a World Cup pathway event and tested Telangana’s hosting capacity.
The Telangana Sports Authority staged the matches at the Gachibowli Hockey Stadium and used them to determine qualification for the Women’s Hockey World Cup scheduled from August 14 to 30 in the Netherlands and Belgium. India competed alongside Austria, England, Italy, Korea, Scotland, Uruguay and Wales.
The women’s hockey qualifiers drew full stands across match days. Each fixture maintained a high tempo, with visiting teams rotating squads and testing combinations. As a result, crowds responded with sustained attendance, while ticket sales moved quickly through the online system.
Chief Minister Revanth Reddy inaugurated the event on March 8 and launched the opening ceremony. Cultural performances ran alongside proceedings and reflected Telangana’s traditions. Later, Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka attended the closing ceremony.
Meanwhile, the state upgraded infrastructure at the venue. Officials installed an international-standard astroturf and expanded spectator facilities. Authorities arranged security, transport, accommodation and medical cover for foreign delegations. In addition, organisers assigned liaison officers to each team to handle logistics and schedules.
Operations and reception of women’s hockey qualifiers
Officials from Hockey India and the International Hockey Federation (FIH) monitored operations throughout the tournament. Coordination between agencies continued across all match days.
Several ministers, including Vakiti Srihari, Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy, Seethakka and Ponnam Prabhakar, attended fixtures and interacted with organisers. Former India cricketer Mohammad Azharuddin also visited the venue. Senior officials, including Jayesh Ranjan, Sandeep Kumar Sultania and other department heads, reviewed arrangements on site.
Sportspersons attended as guests during the event. Olympian Mukesh Kumar interacted with players and encouraged younger participants. Athletes including Nidhi Kullar, Endala Soundarya, Isha Singh, Deepthi Jeevanji and Satti Geetha marked their presence at the venue.
Spectators maintained strong turnout between matches. Organisers conducted laser displays and music programmes during breaks and kept the audience engaged. Consequently, the venue sustained a festival atmosphere across sessions.
Players, officials and technical staff from visiting teams praised the arrangements and local support. They highlighted smooth logistics and consistent match conditions during the tournament.
The Telangana Sports Authority, led by Managing Director Dr Sony Baladevi, coordinated operations with Hockey India and FIH. The tournament concluded after the final round of fixtures and completed the qualification cycle for participating teams.