97th MCC-Murugappa Gold Cup Hockey Tournament Begins in Chennai on October 22

The 97th All-India MCC-Murugappa Gold Cup Hockey Tournament will be held from October 22 to November 1 at Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium, Egmore, Chennai. Ten teams divided into two groups will compete, with a Malaysian team participating for the second consecutive year.

The tournament offers ₹7 lakh in prize money to the winners and ₹5 lakh to the runners-up. Each semi-finalist will receive ₹50,000, while individual awards will recognise outstanding players across several categories.

As part of its Plant a Goal sustainability initiative, the Murugappa Group will plant 20 saplings for every goal scored during the tournament at Tharuvaikulam village in Thoothukudi district. Last year, the initiative resulted in 2,290 trees being planted.

The MCC-Murugappa Tamil Nadu U-17 Schools Hockey Tournament, held from October 14 to 17, introduced a girls’ category for the first time. Indira Gandhi Memorial Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Madurai, won the boys’ title for the third consecutive time, while Kshatriya Girls Higher Secondary School, Virudhunagar, won the inaugural girls’ competition.

The tournament is organised by Madras Cricket Club (MCC) with the Murugappa Group as the sole sponsor, continuing its long-standing support for Indian hockey and emerging talent.