A turf hockey ground in Jharkhand's Khunti district has been awarded the field certificate from the International Hockey Federation (FIH), an official statement said.
Khunti, around 40 km from Ranchi, has earned the distinction of being the hockey nursery of the state, producing around a dozen international women players including Nikki Pradhan, known for her stellar performance in Tokyo Olympics.
"The turf hockey ground at Bisra College in Khunti has been accorded the FIH field certificate, which is given after all due quality assessment. This is a pertinent step towards providing not just befitting resources to the players but also for securing their on-ground safety," the statement issued by the state government said.
Besides, it shall also serve to meet the standards for organising international matches, it said.
"This monumental move is being received well by the players of the state who shall now be able to hone their talents while getting to practice at an international standards ground," the statement said.
It said the state is trying to facilitate sports and sportspersons besides making efforts for capacity building of the players.
Priority is being given to the construction of international-level turf hockey grounds in various districts, it said.
The construction of various such grounds is underway, including in Simdega and Chaibasa.
The FIH quality programme for hockey turf includes the certification of the fields to ensure the grounds are built to the highest standards and FIH-approved products are installed correctly.
An FIH-certified field is independently tested by a federation-accredited test institute to ensure it meets the requirements of the FIH quality programme for hockey turf.
Tests include the measurement of how the ball interacts with the playing surface, verification of whether adequate comfort and protection are provided to the players, and whether the field has been built to dimensions.
Field certification also includes a comprehensive series of quality control checks to ensure the installed hockey turf product is the same as the FIH-approved one.