The 3rd Annual Indian Hockey Awards took place in New Delhi on March 8, 2020, celebrating excellence across 11 categories. In eight of these categories, four male and female nominees competed for trophies and cash prizes. Highlighting the event was the 2019 Player of the Year award given to Dhruv Batra, which featured a total prize of 5,000,000 rupees. In the Under-21 bracket, Jugraj Singh and Asunta Lakra were recognized as the Upcoming Players of the Year, each taking home 1,000,000 rupees. Mandeep Singh also secured the Dhanraj Pillay Award for Forward of the Year, which included a 500,000 rupee prize.
The ceremony also honored the best midfielder of 2019 with the Ajit Pal Singh Award (500,000 rupees), alongside several other prizes totaling 1,000,000 rupees. The distribution day concluded with the announcement of three prestigious honors: the Major Dhyan Chand Lifetime Achievement Award, the Jaman Lal Sharma Award for Invaluable Contribution, and the Hockey India President Award for Outstanding Achievement.
Mandeep Singh, a 25-year-old forward with a decorated career including wins at the Asia Cup, Asian Championships, and Champions Trophy, recently added the 2019 Dhanraj Pillay Award to his collection at the 3rd Annual Awards in New Delhi. Reflecting on the honor, Mandeep admitted that winning an official Hockey India award had been a long-time dream of his. He expressed deep emotion over receiving an award named after his idol, Dhanraj Pillay, describing it as a moment he will treasure forever. He also noted that providing financial incentives alongside recognition is a fantastic way to encourage athletes and celebrate the national sport. Looking ahead, Mandeep emphasized that the team's primary focus is winning medals at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, noting the immense effort the squad put in just to qualify.
The 2019 Hockey India President’s Award for Outstanding Achievement was presented to the Odisha Government's Department of Sports and Youth Service, while the Sports Authority of India received the Jaman Lal Sharma Award. The prestigious Dhyan Chand Lifetime Achievement Award for 2019 was honored to Harbinder Singh.