Calcutta Hockey League is a field hockey league organized by Hockey Bengal (formerly the Bengal Hockey Association). The first edition was held in 1905. It is a division based league held at Kolkata and is the oldest field hockey league in India.[1][2] Until the formation of the top division national leagues such as Premier Hockey League and Hockey India League post 2000s, the Calcutta Hockey League was the most competitive league in the country.[3][4]
| Sport | Field hockey |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1905 |
| Administrator | Hockey Bengal |
| Country | India |
| Headquarters | Kolkata |
| Most recent champion(s) | East Bengal (10th title) |
| Most titles | Mohun Bagan (26 titles) |
| Official website | hockeybengal.org |
History
editThe league was first held in 1905, ten years after the initiation of Beighton Cup Tournament and three years before the formation of the Bengal Hockey Association (BHA) in 1908.[5] It is considered the next prominent competition to Beighton Cup in status and eminence. The First Division commenced in 1905, and later expanded to the Second Division in 1907, Third Division in 1920, Fourth Division in 1932 and Division ll - B in 1933. The competition has been held annually ever since, except the year of partition in 1947.[1]
The early years were dominated by the collegiate teams such as Sibpur B.E. College followed by the prominence of the Anglo-Indian club Calcutta Rangers and the Calcutta Customs throughout the 1910s and 1920s decades. The first team composed of Indian players to win the league was Greer Sporting who managed the feat in 1919. Later years and post-Independence era were dominated by the "Big Three" of Kolkata, Mohun Bagan, Mohammedan Sporting and East Bengal.[1]
League structure
editThe current league structure consists of the First Division which has two groups played across two tiers at the senior level.[6] The Second Division and Third Division is held at U19 and U17 level. The top six teams of First Division Group A competes for Premier Hockey League while top four teams of First Division Group B competes for Super Hockey League.[7] From the 2023 season, following the group stage matches, the first division teams move into Premier Hockey League and Placement rounds. The winner of Premier Hockey League round are crowned champions of the league.[8]
| Calcutta Hockey League | |
|---|---|
| Tier | Division |
| I | First Division Group A |
| II | First Division Group B |
| III | Second Division |
| IV | Third Division |
Venue
editThe matches are held at SAI Sports Complex at Salt Lake Stadium,[9] Mohun Bagan Ground and East Bengal Ground.
Results
editThe results of the Calcutta Hockey League:[1]
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 1905 | B.E. College Sibpur |
| 1906 | B.E. College Sibpur |
| 1907 | B.E. College Sibpur |
| 1908 | Calcutta Customs |
| 1909 | Calcutta Customs |
| 1910 | Calcutta Customs |
| 1911 | B.E. College Sibpur |
| 1912 | Calcutta Customs |
| 1913 | Calcutta Customs |
| 1914 | Calcutta Rangers |
| 1915 | Calcutta Rangers |
| 1916 | Calcutta Rangers |
| 1917 | Calcutta Rangers |
| 1918 | Military Medicals |
| 1919 | Greer SC |
| 1920 | B.E. College Sibpur |
| 1921 | Calcutta Customs |
| 1922 | Calcutta Customs |
| 1923 | Greer SC |
| 1924 | Xaverians |
| 1925 | Xaverians |
| 1926 | Calcutta Customs |
| 1927 | Calcutta Customs |
| 1928 | Calcutta Rangers |
| 1929 | Calcutta Rangers |
| 1930 | Calcutta Customs |
| 1931 | Calcutta Customs |
| 1932 | Calcutta Customs |
| 1933 | Calcutta Customs |
| 1934 | Calcutta Rangers |
| 1935 | Mohun Bagan |
| 1936 | Calcutta Customs |
| 1937 | Calcutta Customs |
| 1938 | Calcutta Customs |
| 1939 | Calcutta Customs |
| 1940 | B G Press |
| 1941 | Police AC |
| 1942 | Port Commissioners |
| 1943 | Calcutta Rangers |
| 1944 | Port Commissioners |
| 1945 | Mohammedan Sporting |
| 1946 | Port Commissioners |
| 1947 | Not held due to Partition |
| 1948 | Port Commissioners |
| 1949 | Port Commissioners |
| 1950 | Calcutta Customs |
| 1951 | Mohun Bagan |
| 1952 | Mohun Bagan |
| 1953 | Bhowanipore |
| 1954 | Bhowanipore |
| 1955 | Mohun Bagan |
| 1956 | Mohun Bagan |
| 1957 | Mohun Bagan |
| 1958 | Mohun Bagan |
| 1959 | Mohammedan Sporting |
| 1960 | East Bengal |
| 1961 | Calcutta Customs and East Bengal - joint winners |
| 1962 | Mohun Bagan |
| 1963 | Calcutta Customs |
| 1964 | East Bengal |
| 1965[10] | Bengal Nagpur Railway |
| 1966[10] | Bengal Nagpur Railway |
| 1967[10] | Bengal Nagpur Railway |
| 1968 | East Bengal |
| 1969 | Mohun Bagan |
| 1970 | Mohun Bagan |
| 1971 | Mohun Bagan |
| 1972 | Mohun Bagan |
| 1973 | East Bengal |
| 1974 | Mohun Bagan |
| 1975 | Mohun Bagan |
| 1976 | East Bengal |
| 1977 | Mohun Bagan |
| 1978 | Mohun Bagan |
| 1979 | East Bengal |
| 1980 | Mohun Bagan |
| 1981 | Mohun Bagan |
| 1982 | Eastern Railway |
| 1983 | MMC |
| 1984 | MMC |
| 1985 | CESC |
| 1986 | Mohun Bagan |
| 1987 | Mohun Bagan |
| 1988 | Mohun Bagan |
| 1989 | East Bengal |
| 1990 | FCI |
| 1991 | FCI |
| 1992 | FCI |
| 1993 | CESC |
| 1994[11] | Bengal Nagpur Railway |
| 1995[12] | Mohun Bagan |
| 1996 | Calcutta Customs |
| 1997[12] | Mohun Bagan |
| 1998[12] | Mohun Bagan |
| 1999[12] | Mohun Bagan |
| 2000 | SAI Training Center |
| 2001 | CESC |
| 2002 | CESC |
| 2003 | Calcutta Customs |
| 2004 | CESC |
| 2005 | CC&FC |
| 2006 | CESC |
| 2007 | CESC |
| 2008 | Punjab SC |
| 2009 | CESC |
| 2010 | Punjab SC |
| 2011 | Punjab SC |
| 2012 | Punjab SC |
| 2013 | CC&FC |
| 2014 | CC&FC |
| 2015 | CESC |
| 2016 | Punjab SC |
| 2017 | Eastern Railway |
| 2018 | Eastern Railway |
| 2019 | CESC |
| 2020 | Not held due to COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2021[13] | Punjab SC |
| 2022[14] | East Bengal |
| 2023[15] | Mohun Bagan |
| 2024 | East Bengal |
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ a b c d "BIRTH AND EVOLUTION OF CALCUTTA HOCKEY LEAGUE COMPETITION (1905)". www.hockeybengal.org. Kolkata: Hockey Bengal. 2022. Archived from the original on 18 October 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
- ^ "About Us - Hockey Bengal". www.hockeybengal.org. Hockey Bengal. Archived from the original on 24 October 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
- ^ Basu, Jaydeep. "Keshav Dutt Tribute: Indian Hockey's Harley Riding Legend". Newsclick. Archived from the original on 24 October 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
- ^ Nayakan, Saba (18 November 2012). "Bengal hockey needs to get its act together". The Hindu Business Line. Archived from the original on 2 October 2021. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
- ^ Mandapaka, Ravi Teja (25 October 2012). "From the Beighton and Aga Khan Cup to the HIL". Sportskeeda. Archived from the original on 5 November 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
- ^ "Schedule". www.hockeybengal.org. Hockey Bengal. Archived from the original on 24 October 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
- ^ "Hockey BengaL Events 2022" (PDF). www.hockeybengal.org. Hockey Bengal. Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 October 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
- ^ "Hockey Bengal: Blog". hockeybengal.org. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
- ^ Bhaduri, Archiman (9 November 2020). "Sports Authority of India's Eastern Centre opens after seven months". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 26 October 2022. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
- ^ a b c "BNR RECREATION CLUB IN A NUT SHELL". BNR Club. Archived from the original on 11 October 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
- ^ "Awards". BNR Club. Archived from the original on 25 October 2022. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
- ^ a b c d "Trophy Room". Mohun Bagan AC. Archived from the original on 26 October 2022. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
- ^ Bhattacharya, Nilesh (7 August 2021). "As hockey regains its place in the sun, Bengal experts rue lack of basic infra". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 24 October 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
- ^ "How East Bengal Won the Calcutta Premier Hockey League After 33 Years!". Hockey Passion. Archived from the original on 24 October 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
- ^ "Mohun Bagan win Calcutta Premier League Hockey Championship". uniindia.com. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
Further reading
edit- Mills, Megan S. (2001). "A most remarkable community: Anglo-Indian contributions to sport in India". Routledge. doi:10.1080/09584930120083828. Archived from the original on 8 November 2022. Retrieved 9 November 2022. (Published online: "Routledge Contemporary South Asia"; 1 July 2010).
- Roy, Mohit (31 January 2023). "আমরা হকিতেও ছিলাম, পেট্রোরসায়ন শিল্পেও ছিলাম — সবই এখন অতীত" [We were in hockey, we were in the petrochemical industry — all in the past]. anandabazar.com (in Bengali). Kolkata: Anandabazar Patrika. Archived from the original on 1 February 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2023.