New Delhi [India], October 13 : David John has been appointed as Strategy Director and Dr AB Subbaiah has been roped in as a Team Manager for the Kalinga Lancers, ahead of the much-anticipated return of the Hockey India League (HIL) 2024, following a seven-year hiatus.
The team owners, Vedanta Limited said in a statement, "Vedanta Limited today announced the appointment of David John as Strategy Director and Dr. A.B. Subbaiah as Team Manager for the Kalinga Lancers, ahead of the much-anticipated return of the Hockey India League (HIL) 2024, following a seven-year hiatus. These key appointments highlight Vedanta's commitment to building a competitive and successful team for the upcoming HIL season as they prepare to dominate the player auction and assemble a well-rounded squad capable of winning the tournament. "
Speaking on the appointments, Sunil Gupta, COO, Vedanta Aluminium, said: "We are thrilled to have David and Dr. Subbaiah join the Kalinga Lancers leadership. Their extensive experience and knowledge of hockey will be instrumental in shaping the team's success. We believe their leadership will guide the team towards excellence in the upcoming Hockey India League season."
David John has been associated with Indian hockey since 2011, having served as the exercise physiologist of the national men's team and high-performance director of Hockey India. As Strategy Director, David will focus on making Kalinga Lancers the top performing franchise. He will design match strategies, onboard top players, and ensure the team's physical, mental, and nutritional readiness. Additionally, he will hold leadership meetings to build forward-looking strategy and provide a season-end performance rereview.
"I congratulate Vedanta on becoming the owner of Kalinga Lancers," said David John, Strategy Director of the Kalinga Lancers.
"It is an exciting opportunity to work with the team. My focus will be on developing a strategy that blends technical skills with a tactical mindset, allowing the team to make the most of its strengths. Before that, we are looking forward to a very successful player auction where we aim to acquire best talent that the sport has to offer," he added.
Former India captain, goalkeeper, coach and Arjuna awardee, Dr. AB Subbaiah comes on board as Team Manager. He will oversee communication, team meetings, equipment management, travel logistics, and risk management, ensuring smooth team operations on and off the field.
Commenting on his new role, Dr. AB Subbaiah, Team Manager of Kalinga Lancers said, "Congratulations to Vedanta. With my experience as former player and coach, I am keenly looking forward to building and managing a world-class team that will surely win laurels and millions of hearts."
The revamped HIL 2024-25 will feature 8 men's teams and 6 women's teams, marking the first standalone women's league in the country that will run concurrently with the men's competition. In its previous edition back in 2017, Kalinga Lancers had become the champion, beating Dabang Mumbai for the title.
The league will get underway on December 28 with matches played in two venues -- Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Astroturf Hockey Stadium in Ranchi, Jharkhand, and Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela, Odisha. The women's league will conclude on January 26, 2025 in Ranchi, while the men's final is slated for February 1, 2025 in Rourkela.