Hockey India Inter-Department 2026: SAI thrash Defence 20-1, PSPB, FCI, RSPB win
Synopsis
The 6th Hockey India Senior Men Inter-Department National Championship 2026 opened in Hyderabad with SAI's stunning 20-1 demolition of Defence Accounts — the day's standout scoreline. Nitesh Sharma bagged five goals as eight teams across four pools set the tone for what promises to be a fiercely contested national title race.
Key Takeaways
The 6th Hockey India Senior Men Inter-Department National Championship 2026 began on 4 September in Hyderabad with 8 matches across Pools A, B, C, and D.
Sports Authority of India (SAI) recorded the day's biggest win, thrashing Defence Accounts Sports Control Board 20-1 in Pool B; Nitesh Sharma scored 5 goals .
PSPB won 7-1 over SSB and FCI blanked Tamil Nadu Police 7-0 in Pool A and Pool D respectively.
RSPB defeated Canara Bank 5-1 and Central Secretariat beat ITBP 3-0 on the opening day.
Services Sports Control Board edged Steel Plant Sports Board 6-3 in Pool C's most competitive fixture of the day.
The 6th Hockey India Senior Men Inter-Department National Championship 2026 opened on Friday, 4 September in Hyderabad with eight fixtures across four pools, producing a mix of emphatic routs and competitive contests. Sports Authority of India (SAI), Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB), Food Corporation of India (FCI), Railway Sports Promotion Board (RSPB), and Central Secretariat all registered opening-day victories.
SAI's 20-1 Demolition Sets the Tone
Sports Authority of India delivered the day's most commanding performance, dismantling Defence Accounts Sports Control Board 20-1 in a Pool B fixture that was effectively over by the end of the first quarter. Nitesh Sharma led the charge with a five-goal haul, while Akash Pal added a hat-trick.
Captain Vikas and Triloki Venvanshi both scored braces. Sachin Dungdung, Sunit Lakra, Sunil, Vishal Pandey, Manish Kumar, Deepak Singh Fartyal, and Shivam Patel were also on the scoresheet. Rahul scored the solitary consolation goal for Defence Accounts. Also in Pool B, Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) edged past Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) 4-1, with Thrishul Ganapathi H netting twice and skipper Parmod and Tiras K adding one each. Lovejeet Singh replied for CRPF.
Pool A: PSPB and Central Secretariat Cruise
Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB) opened their campaign with a 7-1 win over Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB). Gurjot Singh and Kumar Varun each scored braces, with captain Devindar Walmiki and Om Rajnesh Saini also contributing. Praveen Chauhan pulled one back for SSB.
In the other Pool A tie, Central Secretariat kept a clean sheet in a 3-0 win over I.T.B.P. Central Hockey Team, with Bharath Mahalingappa Kurtakoti and Paulus Lakra sharing the goals.
Pool C: Services Edge Steel Plant in a Six-Goal Thriller
Services Sports Control Board (SSCB) won a high-scoring Pool C encounter 6-3 against Steel Plant Sports Board. Kanagaraj Selvaraj, Ritendra Pratap Singh, Yogesh Singh, Atish Dodrai, Akshay Dubey, and Amrit Tirkey scored for Services. Steel Plant stayed in contention through Lelsan Minz, Amit, and Amrit Horo before Services sealed it in the closing stages.
All India Police Sports Control Board also took three points, defeating Union Bank of India 3-1. Dharamvir Singh, captain Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, and Varinder Singh scored for Police, while Zameer Mohammad replied for Union Bank.
Pool D: FCI and RSPB Dominate
Food Corporation of India (FCI) blanked Tamil Nadu Police 7-0, with Ritik Kujur among multiple scorers as FCI controlled the contest from start to finish. Railway Sports Promotion Board (RSPB) followed with a 5-1 win over Canara Bank, courtesy of goals from Amandeep Lakra, Pardeep Singh, and Lovepreet Singh. KR Gaurav Ganapathy scored for Canara Bank.
With the opening round delivering several lopsided scorelines, the championship's competitive picture will sharpen as pools progress in the coming days in Hyderabad.
Point of View
Pool composition, and whether the Inter-Department format is drawing a wide enough talent pool to make early rounds meaningful. SAI's dominance is not surprising given their access to elite training infrastructure, but margins like this risk making Pool B's later fixtures academic before they begin. Hockey India may need to revisit the qualification threshold for departmental teams to ensure the championship retains competitive credibility across all four pools.
NationPress
4 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Hockey India Senior Men Inter-Department National Championship 2026?
It is the 6th edition of Hockey India's national championship for senior men's departmental teams, held in Hyderabad starting 4 September 2026. Teams representing government departments and public-sector organisations compete across four pools for the national title.
What was the biggest result on Day 1 of the Inter-Department Hockey Championship 2026?
Sports Authority of India (SAI) beat Defence Accounts Sports Control Board 20-1 in a Pool B fixture, the most emphatic result of the opening day. Nitesh Sharma scored five goals and Akash Pal added a hat-trick.
Which teams won on the opening day in Hyderabad?
SAI, PSPB, Central Secretariat, CAG, Services Sports Control Board, All India Police Sports Control Board, FCI, and RSPB all won their respective opening fixtures across Pools A, B, C, and D.
How did PSPB and FCI perform on Day 1?
Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB) beat Sashastra Seema Bal 7-1 in Pool A, with Gurjot Singh and Kumar Varun both scoring braces. Food Corporation of India (FCI) blanked Tamil Nadu Police 7-0 in Pool D, with Ritik Kujur among the scorers.
Where is the 6th Hockey India Inter-Department Championship 2026 being held?
The championship is being held in Hyderabad. The opening day on 4 September 2026 featured eight fixtures spread across all four pools.
