8th All-India SNBP Hockey Tournament (Boys’ Under-16) Set to Kick Off in Pune with 24 Teams

Pune: The 8th All-India Hockey Tournament (Boys’ Under-16) has earned a reputation as the sole prize-money hockey competition for this age group in the city, and being officially recognized by Hockey India, it is a key event for grassroots teams. The latest edition, set to commence on Monday, October 7, has attracted participants from 14 states, forming a competitive field of 24 teams, all vying for top honors at the Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, Mhalunge-Balewadi.

Since 2016, the tournament, organized by the S.E. Society’s SNBP Group of Institutes, has maintained a strong focus on promoting grassroots hockey. The organizers have continued to offer the same prize money as in the previous edition. In addition to the boys’ competition, the 5th SNBP Women’s Hockey Tournament will feature eight women’s teams, in line with the organizers’ commitment to ensuring equal opportunities for both male and female athletes.

A total of Rs. 3.80 lakh has been set aside for the two tournaments, which will run simultaneously. The women’s tournament is set to begin on September 10 at the Dr. Dashrat Bhosale Hockey Ground, Chikhli-Moshi. For the boys’ event, the winner will receive Rs. 1 lakh, with Rs. 50,000 going to the runner-up and Rs. 30,000 for the third-placed team. The women’s prizes are Rs. 75,000 for the winner, Rs. 50,000 for the runner-up, and Rs. 30,000 for the third-place finisher.

The opening match will feature Olympian Bhaskaran Hockey Academy Kolkata Warriors facing Hockey Nashik in Pool-C, followed by five more matches on the same day. The boys’ tournament will follow a league format, with the 24 teams divided into eight pools. Each team will play two matches in the pool stage to determine the group winners, who will advance to the knockout quarterfinals. The semi-finals are scheduled for October 12, followed by the final on October 13.

Dr. Vrishali Bhosale, Organizing Chairperson and President of SNBP Group, emphasized the group’s dedication to supporting grassroots hockey. She highlighted the importance of promoting women’s hockey as part of the organization’s values, stating, “Our mission continues to focus on the development of grassroots hockey, and we firmly believe that women’s hockey deserves the same level of support. We are proud to see the anticipation for this tournament from teams all over the country.”

This tournament is the only all-India event for Under-16s in the state of Maharashtra. The teams participating in this year’s edition come from across the country, including Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Orissa, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra. SNBP Academy is the only Pune-based team in the competition, with additional entries from Nashik and Mumbai.

The women’s tournament will be contested by eight teams from Maharashtra and will be played in a knockout format. Tournament Convenor Firoz Shaikh expressed gratitude to both Hockey Maharashtra and Hockey India for their support, which has contributed to the continued success of the tournament. He also highlighted that the event will feature a mix of academy and school-level talent, with some past top-three finishers returning to compete. In total, 34 matches will be played, involving 480 players and 25 technical officials from Hockey India.

The event is being held under the auspices of both Hockey India and Hockey Maharashtra.

Past Winners:

2016: MP Academy (Winner); Saheed Bishan Singh School, Delhi (Runners-up); Krida Prabodhini (Third place)

2017: MP Academy (Winner); Krida Prabodhini (Runners-up); Hockey Coorg (Third place)

2018: Krida Prabodhini (Winner); MP Academy (Runners-up); Bhiwani Jai Bharat Academy, Haryana (Third place)

2019: MP Hockey Academy (Winner); Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), Amritsar (Runners-up); SAIL Hockey Academy (Third place)

2020: Not Held – Covid-19

2021: SAIL Hockey Academy, Odisha (Winner); HAR Hockey Academy, Sonepat (Runners-up); SNBP Academy, Pune (Third place)

2022: Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), Amritsar (Winner); Dhyanchand Academy (Runners-up); Anwar Hockey Society (Third place), SNBP Academy, Pune

2023: Army Boys Sports Company (ABSC) (Winner); Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), Amritsar (Runners-up); Round Glass Academy (Third place)