Spurned by government, Indian Ice Hockey Team turns to crowd funding

The Indian Ice Hockey Team has bagged its first sponsorship deal with the Mahindra Group.

With the government being indifferent to their needs, the Indian Ice Hockey team has decided to resort to seeking funds from the crowd in order to compete in international events.

The Indian team has set up a crowdfunding website, which indicts the government for its apathetic attitude towards the sport. The government, it would seem, funds the team only for the Olympic and Asian Games events and now, the team has been left to fend for themselves as they try to gather adequate funds to compete in the International Ice Hockey Federation Challenge Cup at Kuwait next week.

Cricket’s domineering presence in the sporting landscape of India is perceived to be amongst the biggest hurdles for sports such as Ice Hockey. "It is so tough to push sports like ice hockey when cricket is taking all the limelight and glory," said Vedank Singh, the head of digital marketing for the Ice Hockey Association of India on Wednesday.

He lamented the fact that the team, despite boasting an international presence had been reduced to begging.

"See, we have a national team and we have to beg for money”, he said.

An indignant Singh, who kickstarted the crowdfunding campaign on twitter with the hashtag #SupportIceHockey said that team did not even have ‘basic facilities’.

But Singh is delighted with the response that the campaign has generated. With the Indian Ice Hockey team receiving its first sponsorship deal with the Mahindra Group, Singh termed the response ‘fantastic’.

Anand Mahindra, the head of the conglomerate tweeted that he had ‘decided to support these passioante athletes’.

I’ve decided to support these passionate athletes. #SupportIceHockey.Your turn? Chak de barf pe! http://t.co/reGUweIVIB

— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) April 7, 2015