Maharaja Ranjit Singh Hockey Academy Reopens, Welcomes Young Talent After Pandemic Closure
Resumption of Operations at Maharaja Ranjit Singh Hockey Academy
The Maharaja Ranjit Singh Hockey Academy in Amritsar has reopened its doors after nearly five years of inactivity due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The academy has resumed its residential program, welcoming 60 young athletes from various regions of Punjab. Known for nurturing hockey talent from the border districts, the academy has previously produced four international players and two junior internationals.
Founded in 2005 by former Olympian Balwinder Singh Shammi, the academy was established to tap into the potential of young players from the border areas of Amritsar, Tarn Taran, and Gurdaspur. Shammi collaborated with philanthropists to secure funding and support for the academy's initiatives.
Among its distinguished alumni are Ramandeep Singh, who represented India at the 2016 Rio Olympics and was honored with the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Award in 2024; Arjuna Award winners Shamsher Singh and Dilpreet Singh, who participated in the Tokyo Olympics; and Araijeet Singh Hundal, who contributed to India's gold medal victories at the 2024 Asian Champions Trophy and the Junior Asia Cups in 2023 and 2024.
Other notable players from the academy include Lovedeep Singh and Gurjant Singh, who competed in the 2009 Junior Asia Cup in Myanmar.
Shammi, who was involved with the Punjab women’s hockey team selection committee in 2025 and the Hockey India selection committee in 2023, actively visited schools in remote border regions to motivate young players to participate in trials. His outreach attracted nearly 400 aspiring athletes, from which 60 were selected through a rigorous three-stage process.
He mentioned that the academy utilized the same scouting strategy as before the pandemic to maximize participation. "Reviving the network that had been dormant for five years was a challenging task," Shammi noted.
With the approval of the residential training program from Director Sports Punjab Harpreet Singh Sudan and Assistant Director Sports Gurjant Singh, the selected players are now residing at the academy's hostel located at Guru Nanak Wara near Khalsa College under the 'Catch Them Young' initiative.
To provide free education for the trainees, Shammi reestablished connections with the Spring Dale Educational Society in Amritsar, led by Sahiljit Singh Sandhu, who is also the academy's president.
Despite the academy's achievements, Shammi raised concerns about the absence of an operational astro-turf facility in Amritsar, which he believes hampers the development of young players. He emphasized the critical need for synthetic surfaces, stating, "The difference in ball speed and movement between grass and astro-turf is significant. Without adequate exposure to synthetic fields, players struggle to develop crucial skills like ball control and shooting accuracy necessary for high-level competition."
A member of India's teams at the 1988 Seoul Olympics and the World Cups in 1986 and 1990, Shammi frequently attends training sessions to mentor the young athletes. Working with the Railways, he has arranged training facilities at Khalsa College and ensured that academy players in Classes XI and XII receive free education at Khalsa College Senior Secondary School.