Dikhyaa Mohanty 
The owners of Kalinga Lancers, Vedanta Limited, announced the appointment of David John as strategic director and Dr. AB Subbaiah as team manager in front of the highly anticipated Hockey India League (HIL) 2024 comeback. As they get ready to rule the player auction and put together a well-rounded roster capable of winning the tournament, these important additions demonstrate the team’s dedication to developing a strong and competitive team for the forthcoming HIL season.
David John has been involved in Indian hockey since 2011. He worked for Hockey India as the high-performance director and as the national men’s team’s exercise physiologist. In his role as strategy director, David’s main goal will be to elevate the Kalinga Lancers to the top of the league. In addition to creating match plans and bringing in elite players, he will also make sure the squad is nourished, mentally, and physically prepared. He will also conduct leadership meetings in order to develop a strategy for the future and give a season-ending performance evaluation.
“It’s an exciting opportunity to work with the team. My focus will be on developing a strategy that blends technical skills with a tactical mindset, allowing the team to make the most of its strengths. Before that, we are looking forward to a very successful player auction where we aim to acquire best talent that the sport has to offer,” said David.
Dr. A.B. Subbaiah, an Arjuna awardee, goalie, coach, and former captain of India, joins the squad as team manager. To ensure efficient team operations both on and off the field, he will supervise communication, team meetings, equipment management, travel logistics, and risk management.
