Monday, the 10th of March 2008 was the darkest day for Indian hockey as the Indian men's hockey team failed to qualify for the Olympics first time in its 80-year history.

This incidence bowed the head of every Indian because hockey is not only our national game but our country has a different image in world hockey scenario. This episode is also a lesson for our sports ministry that it should give proper and equal attention towards every game without any discrimination.

The past of Indian hockey was very golden; since 1928 our team won eight gold medals. Many great players like Mej Dhayanchand (who is also known as magician of hockey), Roop Singh, Leslie Claudius, Inam-ur-Rehman, BP Govinda, Surjit Singh, Mohammad Shahid, Dhanraj Pillai etc gave a world champion image to our country. During this golden era Bhopal players also played an important role in Indian hockey as a number of international level players belonged to Bhopal. But, current episode put a black spot on all such memories that we failed to qualify for Olympics.

That match clearly gives us a message that there is lack of understanding between players and coaches. And if things go in the same way then it would become difficult for India to stay on a respectable position in international hockey.

It is high time to bring many changes in our hockey game including players, coaches and of course the president of IHF KPS Gill.

I really respect Gill because of his output during his IPS tenure but it does not mean that a person can be perfect in every field.

Gill worn the crown of IHF chief in 1994 and since that time there is a punch line of an famous advertisement "Yeh Fevicol ka mazboot jod hai tutega nahi".

In his tenure as IHF President, Indian team has changed 18 coaches in just 14 years and many players' changes every year shows lack of stability and continuity in the team.

When India won its first Asian games gold medal after 32 years in 1998 in Bangkok Thailand, IHF sacked around 6 seniormost players with the coach and the reason was unknown.

In 2002 also, coach Cedric D'souza was sacked in the middle of world championship in Malaysia and there also the reason was unknown.

In 2004 also well-known Rajendra Singh was sacked just 18 days before the Athens Olympics and replaced by some unknown German national who had faced a trial of financial embezzlement, which was also the decision of Gill.

It's also shocking that since 2005 there has been no meeting of Indian Hockey Federation general body after IHF vice president Narendra Batra filed a writ against Gill because of length of tenure and some financial irregularities.

Matters became worse when in 2005 the Federation of International Hockey chief stated that Indian Hockey Federation is the worst hockey association in the world.

Indian youth are vibrant with good playing qualities but need is to polish them. The issue needs merit as India now has around 40 astro turfs in comparison to China which has only 3 and Korea which 5 and the shocking thing is that both these nations have qualified for the Beijing Olympics.

After the team's failure to qualify for the Olympics, Indian Hockey team coach Joaquim Carvalho resigned he stating "when I took over this team I said I would resign if I don't deliver, I am keeping my words, I am disappointed and hurt but it's not the end of the road for Indian hockey". Carvalho simply accepted his defeat though he tried for his best.

At the same time let's see the statement of KPS Gill "I will respond to the call for my resignation later, we don't have a coffee machine to get instant result, the process is in place and the result will come"

It's really surprising that he is talking about what process and results, may be the process to sack players because this time he does not have a chance to sack coach and results could be worse than this.

After all these episodes our sports minister Mani Shankar Aiyar stated: "I am naturally disappointed that a team that has been part of the Olympics and even bagged gold medals, cannot even make it to the Olympics"

Is this enough responsibility towards our national pride? Sports ministry said they cannot do anything because Indian Hockey Federation is an autonomous body.

Here the question is a man or a body can be important than our nation's pride; for the sake of our nation's pride not only 1 but 100 KPS Gills can be removed, and in case then also we are unable to do anything effective then we should lock up all our stadiums and withdraw our name from international Hockey.