WECElbert296866 at 09:36, 31 December 2025

2025-12-31T09:36:12Z

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{{Short description|Indian sports journalist, author}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2025}}

'''K. Arumugam''' (born 20 June 1958) is an Indian hockey journalist,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-02-03 |title=Game for more |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/game-for-more-2/ |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref> author,<ref>{{Cite web |title=September 2006 Bulletin |url=http://www.bharatiyahockey.org/2006/nov2006.html |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=www.bharatiyahockey.org}}</ref> columnist<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-11-28 |title=Hockey World Cup 2018, K Arumugam column: Harendra Singh's India up against history in Bhubaneswar |url=https://www.firstpost.com/sports/hockey-world-cup-2018-k-arumugam-column-harendra-singhs-india-up-against-history-in-bhubaneswar-5630801.html |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=Firstpost |language=en}}</ref> and hockey historian based in [[New Delhi]]. He has written over a dozen hockey books<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-05-16 |title=Finally, a book on TN hockey heroes |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/sport/2011/Aug/26/finally-a-book-on-tn-hockey-heroes-284737.html |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=The New Indian Express |language=en}}</ref> and runs an Indian hockey website, stick2hockey.com.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=September 2002 Bulletin |url=http://www.bharatiyahockey.org/2002/sep2002.html |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=www.bharatiyahockey.org}}</ref> He is also the founder of a project that promotes the spread of hockey in India, One Thousand Hockey Legs (OTHL).<ref>{{Cite news |date=2016-08-10 |title=An IIT-an who had a dream for Indian hockey |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/hockey/top-stories/an-iit-an-who-had-a-dream-for-indian-hockey/articleshow/53629433.cms |access-date=2024-01-31 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref> OTHL started with a target of training 500 students from schools and underprivileged backgrounds every year.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=2015-08-16 |title=This man quit being scientist to nurture hockey dreams |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/othersports/this-man-quit-being-scientist-to-nurture-hockey-dreams/story-YBaacztsOJIFQ28oayIr1L.html |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en}}</ref>

== Early life and background ==
Arumugam hails from [[Tamil Nadu]]. He did his schooling at the Government High School in [[Thirumarugal]], near [[Nagapattinam|Nagapatanam]], [[Tamil Nadu]]. Then, he studied at [[Presidency College, Chennai]] and completed his graduation from [[IIT Bombay|IIT, Bombay]] (now Mumbai).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Editor |url=https://stick2hockey.com/editor/ |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=Stick2Hockey |language=en-US}}</ref> He resides in Delhi with his wife Shanti, and they have two children.{{Citation needed|date=December 2025}} A qualified geologist, he later moved to Delhi to work as a water scientist. But he quit his Central Government job to focus full time on his hockey work.<ref name=":3" />

== Projects ==
One of the main projects, One Thousand Hockey Legs (OTHL), was formally started in 2008.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Ghoshal |first=Shuvro |date=2016-01-14 |title=Interview with K. Arumugam, the man who quit his high-paying job to teach hockey to underprivileged kids |url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/hockey/hockey-interview-with-k-arumugam |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=www.sportskeeda.com |language=en-us}}</ref> The project work in schools actually started at the turn of the century and aims to train 500 students below 15 years, from select schools, to make 1000 hockey legs.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Antony |first=Judith Mariya |date=2022-05-05 |title=Man with a plan: Nurturing young hockey dreams |url=https://thepatriot.in/cover-story/man-nurturing-young-hockey-dreams-25387 |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=The Patriot |language=en-US}}</ref> OTHL selects schools and enters into a partnership, provides coaches and equipment and the school has to provide a space and time to develop a hockey team.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bhogal |first=Jimmy |date=2010-06-28 |title=One Thousand Hockey Legs |url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/hockey/one-thousand-hockey-legs |access-date=2024-01-22 |website=www.sportskeeda.com |language=en-us}}</ref> Starting with Delhi, the OTHL schools were started in [[Kolkata]], [[Chennai]], [[Kanpur]] and [[Puducherry (union territory)|Puducherry]].<ref name=":3" /> By the end of 2023, OTHL teams were functioning in 18 government schools in Delhi. Overall, it trains over 5000 students in 100 government schools across five cities as of December 2025.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Williams |first=Joe |date=2 December 2025 |title=Hockey’s hidden heroes: From chawls to champions |url=https://newsarenaindia.com/sports/hockey-s-hidden-heroes-from-chawls-to-champions/63783 |access-date=3 December 2025 |website=News Arena India}}</ref> The cost of about Rs.12 lakhs a year is spent by Arumugam on his own, with part of the support coming from donations from friends, and the proceeds from his hockey books.

== Award ==
He was awarded [[Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar]] by [[President Pranab Mukherjee]] on 29 August 2016, the Indian Sports Day at [[Rashtrapati Bhavan]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=ANI |date=2022-01-04 |title=Disqualification in Beijing Olympics 2008 led to birth of One Thousand Hockey Legs |url=https://www.aninews.in/news/sports/hockey/disqualification-in-beijing-olympics-2008-led-to-birth-of-one-thousand-hockey-legs20220104202210/ |access-date=2024-01-31 |website=www.ANInews.in}}</ref> He was also awarded the [[Hockey India]] President's Outstanding Achievement Award for the years 2015 and 2016.<ref name=":2" />

== Dhyan Chand chapter in text books ==
Arumugam's article titled ''The Wizard'' was taken from one of his books, ''The Great Indian Olympians''<ref>{{Cite web |title=BOOK REVIEW/ AWARDS, ACCOLADES AND DEDICATION |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/opinion/book-review-awards-accolades-and-dedication/cid/886041 |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=www.telegraphindia.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2008-08-02 |title=17 medals, 1 billion people |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/books/17-medals-1-billion-people/story-8BlJqDYurp4ZIVD3I2aK1J.html |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en}}</ref> and was included in the Class XI English text books by [[NCERT]] (2002-2003).<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Our Sports Reporter |date=2002-08-28 |title=Chapter on Dhyan Chand figures in textbook |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/2002/20020829/ncr3.htm |access-date=2024-01-22 |website=www.tribuneindia.com}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Arumugam, K}}
[[Category:1958 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Field hockey writers]]
[[Category:Indian sportswriters]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian geologists]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian geologists]]

K. Arumugam - Revision history

WECElbert296866 at 09:36, 31 December 2025