The sessions are aimed at improving their officiating knowledge and motivating them on fitness matters.
The team of experienced tournament directors and umpire managers who are conducting the interactive sessions on WhatsApp groups include Moghul Mohammed Muneer, Claudius de Sales and H.S Sokhi for technical officials; G.S Sangha, Javed Shaikh and Mr. G Harsha Vardhan for umpires.
The interactive sessions are being carried out across six groups, three for technical officials and three for umpires.
Over 100 Hockey India registered officials are taking part in the interactive sessions, six days a week.
Further, a total of 30 Hockey India member units are conducting interactive sessions for technical officials and umpires across their respective regions. Over 1100 officials are taking part in the interactive sessions across over 70 WhatsApp groups.
Hockey India president Mohd. Mushtaque Ahmad has hailed the initiative.
"Hockey India has put a brilliant process and structure in place in order to improve the standards of officiating in Hockey. Officials are as important as players in any sport and the interactive sessions which normally take place prior to each of the domestic tournaments have definitely helped the umpires and officials in the past and we believe that during this lockdown period, that officials can further improve their knowledge of FIH Rules and Regulations and raise the level of officiating," Hockey India's official website quoted Ahmad as saying.
The umpires and technical officials are following a specific plan and timings as devised by the respective tournament directors and umpire managers that conduct and manage the interactive sessions over the respective groups.
( With inputs from ANI )