Indian women’s hockey coach Harendra Singh: We still believe in the guru-shishya combination, but the philosophy has to change

Harendra Singh’s official designation may read ‘Head Coach, India women’s hockey team’, but even the most astute observers could easily mistake his demeanour for that of a senior professor at a prestigious institute.

He carries himself with an air of solemn erudition, each of his measured movements steeped in an unspoken authority. His gaze, penetrating and unwavering from behind gold-rimmed spectacles perched on the bridge of his nose, scans the room as if in quiet expectation of an intellectual discourse.

When his eyes finally meet this reporter’s at the far end of a hotel lobby, a flicker of warmth softens his steely features as he breaks into a wide smile.

It isn’t long before the 55-year-old explains, in great detail, the current state of affairs as his team prepares to face the Netherlands, England, Spain, and Germany in the Bhubaneswar leg of the FIH Pro League 2024–25 at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium from February 15.

It has been 10 months since you took over the role of India women’s coach again. How has the experience been thus far?

It’s been fascinating. I took over the role on April 6 last year, with my first assignment being the Pro League (2023-24) in May. Unfortunately, it did not go as we would have liked (India finished eighth among nine teams). The biggest challenge for me was bringing the team up to international fitness standards. There were a lot of injuries in the camp, and I knew we wouldn’t be able to perform at the level we wanted to.

When I took over, I had one-on-one and team meetings because the players were mentally broken after failing to qualify for the Olympics. My priority was to get them motivated for the future. In modern hockey, fitness translates to a lot of high-speed running—not just in terms of distance covered per second but also the strength exerted. The hard work paid off in the Asian Champions Trophy, where we remained unbeaten. We ended 2024 on a high, but this is just the beginning. The 2028 Olympics is the ultimate goal.

You have always stressed the importance of fitness. What should an up-and-coming hockey player keep in mind in this regard?

Many of our athletes only become aware of sports science and the requirements of a high-performance environment after entering the national set-up. Ideally, these aspects should be introduced by the time they turn 18. This is a basic requirement that we lack. I’m not saying players need expensive sports equipment—there are other products in the market that are just as effective.

We already place a strong emphasis on hockey skills, but skill is only one element of performance. There are several other crucial aspects — nutrition, digestion, and even recovery related to the menstrual cycle, which remains a taboo topic.

While we are on this subject, there have been a few players who admitted that it’s difficult to be completely honest with the coach when it comes to discussing periods…

Yes, but this needs to change because a coach should know. It’s a natural process. If I don’t know when my players are going through their menstrual cycle and how much pain they’re experiencing, how can I plan their training and recovery?

Many players endure severe pain during these five to six days. If I’m unaware of this and schedule a high-intensity session, the athlete is bound to break down at some point. That’s not beneficial for either the individual or the team.

This awareness needs to start at the Under-14 or even Under-13 level, when the body undergoes significant biological changes. By the time players reach the national level, they shouldn’t feel shy about discussing these things with the coach, and vice versa. To me, these girls are like my daughters.

What happens when a key player gets her period on an important matchday?

We track the date, cycle, and correlate the data. A “red session” is a training period designed to match the intensity of a real game. Over six to seven months, we monitor how much effort a player puts in while enduring 100 per cent pain from abdominal cramps. If the output isn’t sufficient, I have to balance her time on and off the pitch effectively.

It’s all about mindset. If a player can meet expectations during a red session, she can replicate the same performance in a match. This process not only builds confidence but also strengthens the trust between coach and player.

Is there anything that you have already implemented from your learnings in the USA, where you held your last job?

Yes, things like documentation and sharing of a lot of data. It’s a cultural change because earlier, there were hardly any discussions, and the girls were kept in the dark regarding why they were being dropped or what they were lacking. I didn’t learn much about hockey in the USA from the sport’s point of view, but the entire ecosystem is so much better there.

I discussed this with Hockey India, and I am grateful to them and the Sports Authority of India because they immediately provided me with the things I wanted, such as the athlete monitoring system. It helps all athletes track their progress —‘What have I done today? How much have I improved over the week, month, quarter or even the year? Which areas is the coach focusing on? Where am I not improving? Where do I stand in terms of nutrition, physiology, biomechanics, VO2 max, speed, and recovery?’

Once you develop this environment, the player feels like she is part of an ecosystem that is more conducive and supportive rather than stressful.

You have had a chance to not only cover the Hockey India League as a broadcaster but also observe many Indian girls who have performed well. Who has impressed you the most?

There were around six girls who were not in the core group but are knocking on the door. The selectors and I have to make a decision now. Once these girls are inducted into the national coaching set-up, we have to provide them with match experience.

If you look at the teams competing in the Olympics and World Cup, their players have a minimum of 50 caps. The HIL plays a role in providing that experience, helping us gauge how well they can gel with foreign and Indian players. There is the pressure of performance, the pressure of making the team, the pressure from the franchise, and the pressure of performing in front of an audience from over 150 countries. If a player can handle this pressure, it means she is ready to wear Indian colours.

Generally, I don’t reveal names, but I can still say that Sonam, Annu, and Jyoti Singh are some players who have shown potential.

Making waves: Sonam, 19, was adjudged the ‘Upcoming Player of the Tournament’ in the Women’s HIL after scoring four goals in three games, finishing as the highest-scoring Indian player.
| Photo Credit:
HOCKEY INDIA

What was the idea behind making Salima Tete the captain as India women’s hockey entered its rebuilding phase?

When I took over, Savita Punia was the captain. She is an amazing goalkeeper with an incredible personality. She has everything it takes to lead the team. But is it necessary to wear the armband to be a leader? I don’t think so. A leader doesn’t require a title.

(P. R.) Sreejesh, Savita, and Dhanraj Pillay are born leaders. It’s not up to me to make them leaders — they already are. If something goes wrong in a game, the captain gets the yellow card. This is why I made Manpreet (Singh) the captain of the men’s team instead of Sreejesh when I joined in 2018.

I had to convince Hockey India back then, and they eventually understood. If a player makes a mistake, I can afford Manpreet getting a yellow card and sitting out. But I cannot afford my second-choice goalkeeper being on the pitch for five, 10, or 25 minutes in place of my first-choice goalkeeper.

I also wanted someone who leads through performance on the pitch. If you are delivering what the team needs, you have every right to ask other players to step up. If that isn’t the case, others will challenge your authority. Salima, with her performances over the last three to four years, has now taken on that role effectively.

We needed a leader in every area of the pitch. Navneet (Kaur) leads by example as a striker. Savita leads in defence. But we were missing a leader in midfield. Salima is the one who connects the midfield to both the strikers and defenders.

Calling the shots: Salima Tete, now at the helm of India’s midfield, was appointed captain of the Indian women’s team in May 2024. 
| Photo Credit:
HOCKEY INDIA

Who after Savita, the great wall of Indian hockey?

Old wine tastes better. Similarly, goalkeepers also mature later in their careers. Savita is at an age where she can offer more. If we are talking about a second line, the management, which includes me and my staff, has to develop that. It takes time.

If I start playing the second-line goalkeeper for a quarter in each Pro League game, she will also start feeling, ‘Okay, I am a part of this journey, I am a part of this team. That’s why I am being given equal responsibility.’ Bichu (Devi Kharibam), (Bansari) Solanki, and Madhuri (Kindo) need to compete for the two slots. In the Olympics and Asian Games teams, there is only one goalkeeper.

The competition for the goalkeeper position is tight because, in other departments, a midfielder can double up as a defender or a defender can play as a striker. But we have only one goalkeeper, and only the best gets that role. For now, Savita is one of the best in the business.

The two-week camp for the Pro League started immediately after the HIL. The girls will soon play eight matches in 10 days. The senior nationals are in March. Does a cramped calendar increase the risk of injuries?

I am not depending on 18-20 players. We have selected about 30 (including standby players); among them, we can keep rotating during the eight games. I have to take stock of the player’s fitness after the Pro League. Preventing an injury is our primary role. Gadgets like TIJA and Catapult help manage the players’ workload by clearly showing which girl should play how much. When our girls wake up early in the morning, we already know where they are mentally and physically.

The foreigners have praised the stickwork of Indian women. Do you think a bit of the said skill can be compromised to accommodate speed?

No, I don’t agree. The Indians are faster. Not everyone, of course. But some of the players are faster than their European counterparts. Over the last seven years, we have become far better than most of the top five teams in terms of fitness.

The catch lies in decision-making. The Europeans take the right decisions because they have been subjected to such an environment right from their U-8, U-12, and U-13 days at their respective clubs.

We still believe in the guru-shishya combination: what the guru says, the shishya (student) has to follow. Coaching is not going to work like that. Coaching should be about the shishya asking questions of the guru. And the guru doesn’t have to answer; he only has to ask the shishya to try and solve the problem. A guru should be a facilitator and not an executor. That’s how you allow the player to be involved in the decision-making process. The philosophy has to change.

When you came in, you had organised a military-style training camp in Kerala? What was the idea behind it?

Everyone in the team had a different agenda when I walked in. The culture had to change for everyone to be on the same path, leading to the Olympic medal in 2028. And no one better to impart a lesson in team bonding other than the Indian armed personnel, whether the Navy, Air Force or the Army. They know no religion; it is all about being in one team. That is why I chose to start at the Naval Base in Kannur, and I can see the changes after that. They understood each other and where they came from.

After the Pro League is over and before the LA Olympics, what are the intermediate targets that you have set for the team?

First, we need to put on a good show in the Pro League. If we finish somewhere in the top five, we will qualify for the World Cup. We’ll get the ticket here itself, and there will be no pressure during the Asia Cup.

So that’s an immediate target. A good performance in 2025 will lay the foundation for the 2026 World Cup and Asian Games. Playing in the World Cup semifinal should be a goal for our girls. By the end of February, I should have a core group of 24 players who I will be including in my World Cup plans.