The Federation of International Bandy -FIB- has opened a new channel of cooperation with India following a meeting in Ahmedabad between its general secretary, Attila Adamfi, and representatives of Bandy India, focused on the development of the sport, technical training and the country’s participation in international competitions.
The meeting places India within bandy’s expansion map in Asia, although with one relevant particularity: this is a winter sport trying to establish itself in a country where ice infrastructure is limited and where growth depends both on sporting organisation and on adapting the game to more viable formats.
India seeks a stronger international presence in bandy
The meeting was attended by Lovekumar Jadhav, secretary of the Bandy Association of India; Vishal Solanki, the team coach; and Om, captain of the Indian national team. According to the FIB, the talks covered education programmes for coaches and referees, greater Indian participation in international tournaments and the possibility of the country hosting future Asian or international competitions.
Bandy India is listed by the FIB with 2014 as its year of foundation and with its headquarters in Aurangabad, in the state of Maharashtra. Its recent evolution shows gradual growth: the first national camp was listed in 2019 in Shimla, activity later continued in Gurugram, Panaji and Aurangabad, and from 2022 the calendar incorporated international camps, national tournaments and experiences abroad. In 2023, Bandy India recorded activity at the Khelo India Winter Games in Gulmarg and a Russia-India international tournament in Moscow, before adding international youth competitions to its planning in 2024.
Ice infrastructure shapes growth
The development of bandy in India is conditioned by the availability of winter sports facilities. One of the main reference points is the Himadri Ice Rink in Dehradun, an Olympic-size artificial indoor rink measuring 60 x 30 metres and with an approximate capacity of 3,000 spectators. The venue was built for the South Asian Winter Games in 2011, remained closed for years because of maintenance costs and reopened on 5 May 2025 after renovation.
That reality helps explain the importance of adapted formats in the growth of Indian bandy. Unlike traditional bandy, played with eleven players on a large ice field, rink bandy is played on a surface similar to an ice hockey rink, with fewer players and a more accessible format for countries with limited availability of specific facilities. Bandy India itself presents both formats in its explanation of the sport.
National tournaments and training to broaden the base
This recent activity shows a growing domestic competitive base. The 8th Bandy National Federation Cup 2026 was held in Panjim, Goa, on 25 and 26 April, with Tamil Nadu as overall champion, Telangana as runner-up and Maharashtra in third place. The tournament documentation includes categories from U10 to senior level, with men’s and women’s participation and representation from several states.
The line of work also includes camps and training. The 6th Bandy International Camp was held at the Himadri Ice Rink in Dehradun in January 2026, as part of an activity that connects with the objectives now discussed by the FIB and Bandy India: expanding technical training, increasing international participation and studying the organisation of tournaments in a country trying to create space for bandy within its limited winter sports infrastructure.
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