Under the leadership of Harmanpreet Singh, the Indian hockey team achieved a historic win at the 2024 Paris Olympics by defeating Australia 3-2 in their final Group B match. This victory is especially noteworthy as it marks India’s first Olympic win over Australia in hockey since 1972.
The match saw striker Abhishek Nain score the opening goal in the 12th minute, putting India ahead 1-0. Harmanpreet Singh further solidified India’s lead with a penalty corner goal and then converted a penalty stroke, ending the game with a final score of 3-2 in favor of India.
Harmanpreet Singh: India’s Wealthiest Hockey Player
Harmanpreet Singh, celebrated as one of the world’s premier drag flickers, is currently captaining the Indian field hockey team at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. This is his third Olympic appearance. Singh made his senior debut for India in 2015 against Japan and subsequently represented the nation at the 2016 Rio Olympics. His key contributions include helping India secure a bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, a silver at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, and a gold medal at the 2022 Asian Games.
Named captain ahead of the 2022–2023 Pro League season, Singh has led the Indian team with distinction. He is recognized as the wealthiest hockey player in India, with an estimated net worth of $5 million (approximately Rs 42 crore), according to Zee News and publicly available data.
Sources of Income
Harmanpreet Singh’s wealth primarily stems from his international hockey career and his participation in the Hockey India League. In the 2015 league season, he was acquired by Dabang Mumbai for $51,000 (about Rs 42 lakh). Singh made a notable impact by scoring five goals and was honored with the 2015 Ponty Chadha Award for being the ‘most promising player’ of the tournament.
Unlike some sports, Indian national hockey players do not have central contracts. Instead, they are compensated by the teams and organizations they represent. Additionally, players receive prize money for their achievements in major tournaments. For example, each member of the Indian hockey team that won a bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics was awarded Rs 15 lakh by the Petroleum Sports Promotion Board, along with various other accolades.
