Handball in India is controlled by the Handball Association of India. It was founded by Jagat Singh Lohan from Rohtak, Haryana, who was an alumnus of YMCA College of Physical Education of Madras. His efforts during Munich Olympics helped in establishing HFI. The member states were Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Vidharbha and Jammu and Kashmir. He was also elected as the first secretary general of the HFI.
The first senior men's national handball championship was held at Sir Chhotu Ram Stadium, Rohtak, in 1972. Indian handball team first participated in the Asian championship held in Nanjing in 1979.
Performance record Asian Championships India started participating in the Asian Men's Handball Championship in 1979 and the Asian Women's Handball Championship in 1993.
Category Best rank Total teams Year Host Men 5th 5 1979 Women 6th 7 2000 U-21 men 8th 11 2006 U-20 women 5th 7 2000 U-19 men 6th 12 2018 U-18 women 5th 5 2005
Asian Games Indian men's handball team first participated in the Asian Games in 1982 when the event was hosted in New Delhi. Women's team debuted in 2006, held at Doha.
Event Best rank Total teams Year Host Men 8th 8 1982 Women 8th 9 2014
South Asian Games Indian men's handball team is the second best team of Asian Games, after Pakistan. Men's team debuted in 2010 and won silver medal, losing to Pakistan in the final by 37–31. In the 2016 edition, India got their revenge when they hosted the event in Guwahati, narrowly defeating Pakistan by 32–31. In the 2019 edition, Pakistan dethroned India beating them in Kathmandu by 30–29.
Indian women's handball team is the best team of South Asia, winning editions in 2016 and 2019, defeating Bangladesh and hosts Nepal respectively.
Event Best rank Total teams Year Host Men 1st 6 2016 Women 1st 6 2019
References