According to the annual report by the National Organisation for Transplant of Organs and Tissues (NOTTO), India conducted a record 20,138 organ transplants in 2025, surpassing the 20,000 mark for the first time. This figure demonstrates a 6.5% increase compared to the previous year.
This achievement marks a fourfold increase in the number of transplants compared to the 4,990 procedures performed in 2013.
Nevertheless, it is noted that transplants from deceased donors still significantly lag behind the population's needs.
For Indian hockey, August marks not just a tournament, but a chance to change history. Ahead of the 50th anniversary of their 1975 World Cup victory, the Indian team intends to reclaim the world's biggest hockey trophy.
At the upcoming IIHF World Hockey Championship, taking place from August 14 to 30 and jointly organized by the Netherlands and Belgium, India will compete with the goal of ending a half-century title drought.
To participate in the tournament, India has formed a squad of 20 players. The team will once again be managed by star defender and flank player Harmanpreet Singh, who helped conclude a 41-year wait by bringing two silver medals to India at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympics.
Under Harmanpreet's leadership, the Indian team has entered the ranks of leading global hockey teams in recent years, but the World Cup remains an unfinished chapter. India's last World Cup victory was achieved in Kuala Lumpur in 1975. Previously, the team won bronze in Barcelona in 1971 and silver in Amsterdam in 1973, but failed to return to the podium after that.
In the previous tournament in 2023, the Indian team finished in ninth place. Therefore, this time the goal is not only to improve results but also to bring back golden memories by winning medals.
Before the World Cup, India's campaign in the IIHF Pro League did not meet expectations. In the European stage, India secured only four wins in 16 matches, with five games ending in a draw and seven in a loss. The team finished eighth in the table of nine teams, surpassing only Pakistan.
Nevertheless, coach Craig Fulton believes that the selected squad for the World Cup represents a balanced combination of experience and youthful enthusiasm. He noted that the team includes both players with tournament experience and young athletes who earned their spots through performance, not just by name.
The team includes experienced midfielder Manpreet Singh, who is the player with the most international matches in the country. His experience will be complemented by players such as Hardik Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad, and Nilakant Sharma, who will strengthen the midfield. Goalkeepers will be Mohit HS and Suraj Kakkar. In defense, alongside Harmanpreet, are Amit Rohidas, Jarmandeep Singh, Jugraj Singh, Sanjay, Sumit, and Yashdip Sivach. The attack relies on Mandip Singh, Dilpreet Singh, Abhishek, Sukjit Singh, and Shilanand Lakadu.
Four players from the 24-person Pro League squad could not make it into the World Cup team. These were defender Amdeep Lakada, midfielder Raj Kumar Pal, Rbichandra Singh Moirangtem, and forward Salwam Karti. This difficult decision was made by the team management due to the limit on the number of players in the squad.
India has been placed in Group D along with England, Pakistan, and Wales. All group matches will be played in Amstelveen, Netherlands. The campaign begins on August 15 against Wales, followed by a match against England on August 17, and on August 19, a meeting with Pakistan, which is considered the most anticipated fixture of the group stage.
Coach Craig Fulton clearly outlined the team's strategy: 'Pressing, counter-attack, performance—it is not just our strategy, it is part of our training and mindset. We are not thinking about the future. Our goal is to play each match individually.'
Now the question remains: can this team under Harmanpreet Singh end the 50-year wait? Can Indian hockey write world champion history again? The campaign starting on August 15 will be more than just a tournament for India; it will be an attempt to reclaim a glorious past.
