Indian women’s hockey team head coach Harendra Singh has stepped down with immediate effect, citing “personal reasons,” Hockey India confirmed. Harendra, who took over in April last year, guided India to a memorable Asian Champions Trophy win in Rajgir in November.
But the highs were followed by a tough phase. Under his leadership, India finished at the bottom of the FIH Pro League 2024–25, leading to the team’s relegation.
In a statement released by Hockey India, Harendra said, “Coaching the Indian women’s hockey team has been a privilege that has been a highlight of my career. Though personal reasons call me to step away, my heart remains with this extraordinary team and their ongoing success.”
Harendra, who previously coached the United States men’s hockey team, added, “I will always cherish my journey with Hockey India and continue to support their efforts to take Indian hockey to the highest levels of achievement.”
Hockey India Accepts Resignation
Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey accepted his resignation and praised his contributions, especially recalling Harendra’s iconic success with the Indian junior men’s team that won the 2016 FIH Junior World Cup in Lucknow.
“We thank Harendra Singh for his services and his exemplary experience. His commitment towards the development of Indian Hockey is well-known across the hockey community across the world. While we will announce a suitable replacement soon, we wish him the very best,” Tirkey said.
He added that the process to appoint a new coach will start soon. Tirkey also clarified that although there were complaints from players about Harendra’s strict approach, this was not the reason behind his resignation.
Who Will Be the New Coach?
According to PTI, Dutch coach Sjoerd Marijne—who famously led India to a historic fourth-place finish at the Tokyo Olympics 2021—could make a comeback. Marijne left the post in August 2021.
Despite the Asian Champions Trophy triumph, the team’s Pro League campaign was deeply disappointing. India managed only two wins in 16 matches and eventually failed to qualify for the next season.
Why Did Harendra Really Resign?
PTI also reported another angle: performance issues.
A source told the agency, “He was given everything he wanted, all his requests were accepted. But what is the performance of the team? In the last one-and-half years, we have not shown any result. In terms of fitness, 13 main players are injured in the core group.”
