Hyderabad hosts national polo team’s intensive camp for FIP world championship playoffs from April 21

Hyderabad: The Indian National Arena Polo Team has begun an intensive training camp at the Hyderabad Polo & Riding Club (HPRC) from April 5 to 12, ahead of the zone ‘E’ playoffs of the II FIP Arena Polo World Championship. The playoffs will be held in Saudi Arabia from April 21 to 26, where India will compete against Pakistan and Iran for a spot at the World Championship in the United States later this year.

IPA announces team selection

The Indian Polo Association (IPA) has confirmed a 10-12 goal team, selected by a committee chaired by Lt Gen Rajinder Dewan, PVSM, AVSM, VSM (Retd). The selected players and their arena handicaps are:

• Sawai Padmanabh Singh (+5)

• Shanmsheer Ali (+5)

• Hurr Ali (+3)

• Naveen Singh (+4)

• Lt Col Vishal Chauhan (+3)

• Nk Ravinder Mang (+2)

High-performance training at HPRC

The team is currently training at HPRC’s floodlit international-standard sand arena, which is considered among the best-equipped facilities for arena polo in Asia.

Chaitania Kumar, founder-president of HPRC, said, “Their presence here not only puts the spotlight on HPRC but also aligns with our long-term vision — to bring the 2027 FIP Arena Polo World Championship to Hyderabad. With the right support and international collaboration, this is well within our reach.”

Proposal for Telangana delegation to attend pre-qualifiers

HPRC has submitted a formal proposal to the Advisor (Sports), Government of Telangana, requesting that an official state delegation attend the pre-qualifiers in Saudi Arabia. The delegation would support Team India on the international stage and engage with FIP officials to lobby for Hyderabad as the host city for the 2027 FIP Arena Polo World Championship.

Kumar added, “It is a proud moment for Hyderabad and Telangana to welcome the Indian team.”

As India prepares to face regional rivals in the upcoming pre-qualifiers, the training camp at HPRC marks a key step in the country’s efforts to secure a place at the FIP Arena Polo World Championship and bring future editions of the tournament to Indian soil.