Project Overview

Dayton International School in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand now has an FIH-approved synthetic hockey facility, delivered by Gallant Sports & Infra Ltd and funded entirely through a Corporate Social Responsibility initiative by Timken India Limited. The project brought international-standard hockey infrastructure to a school community in East Singhbhum, a region where access to certified sporting surfaces had been limited.

The scope covered base works, drainage, turf installation, perimeter fencing, and match equipment, all completed within a 90-day timeline.

Project Objectives

The project set out to achieve the following:

• Deliver an FIH-approved hockey surface suitable for structured training and competitive play.
• Build a facility that performs consistently through Jharkhand’s seasonal weather, without long downtime after rain.
• Reduce injury risk for young athletes through a certified shock-absorbing surface system.
• Create a lasting sporting asset for a school and community that previously had no access to this kind of infrastructure.
• Support Timken India’s CSR objective of investing in tangible, long-term community development.

Scope of Work

The project was delivered on a full turnkey basis, covering:

• Site assessment and technical planning for the East Singhbhum location.
• Multi-layer engineered stone base construction.
• Sub-soil drainage network and perimeter RCC drain system.
• Installation of FIH-approved sand-filled synthetic hockey turf with SBR shock pad.
• Chain link perimeter fencing, with additional height behind the goal posts.
• Supply and installation of FIH-standard goalposts, corner flags, and match equipment.

Key Characteristics and Technical Specifications

• FIH Approved sand-filled synthetic hockey turf, sourced from an FIH Preferred Manufacturer, non-China origin.
• SBR shock pad installed to FIH norms for player safety and consistent ball response.
• Full international standard dimensions, line-marked to FIH requirements.
• Multi-layer stone base with sub-soil drainage and perimeter RCC drain system.
• 7-year warranty on the installed system.

The combination of certified turf and engineered drainage means the pitch stays playable through the region’s monsoon months, which matters for a school that runs training year-round.

Construction Highlights

Playing Surface

• FIH Preferred Manufacturer sand-filled monofilament hockey turf.
• Non-China origin turf, meeting FIH’s sourcing and certification norms.
• SBR shock pad layer for reduced joint stress and consistent underfoot feel.

Base and Drainage

• Engineered multi-layer stone base built for load stability in a remote site location.
• Sub-soil drainage network paired with a perimeter RCC drain system.
• Grading designed for fast surface water clearance after heavy rain.

Perimeter and Match Fittings

• Chain link fencing around the full playing area.
• Increased fencing height behind the goal posts, standard practice for hockey grounds.
• FIH-standard goalposts, corner flags, and complete match equipment.

Execution Methodology

The build followed a structured sequence suited to a remote CSR site:

• Site clearing, leveling, and base profiling.
• Construction of the engineered stone base layers.
• Installation of the sub-soil drainage and perimeter RCC drain system.
• Laying of the SBR shock pad.
• Turf installation, seaming, and sand-filling.
• Line marking to FIH match standards.
• Fencing installation and fitting of match equipment.
• Final inspection and handover.

Each stage was executed with FIH compliance checked before moving to the next, which kept the project on schedule despite the site’s distance from major supply routes.

Timeline and Project Delivery

The full scope, from base works to match-ready handover, was completed in 90 days. Working in East Singhbhum required careful logistics planning for materials and equipment, and the team held to the timeline without compromising on the FIH specification.

Benefits for Players and the Community

For Players

• Access to an FIH-standard surface that brings professional training conditions to school-level athletes.
• A shock-absorbing system that lowers injury risk during daily training and matches.
• Year-round playability, reducing the disruption that unpaved or unsuitable surfaces usually cause during monsoon season.

For the Community

• East Singhbhum gained a certified hockey facility where none existed before.
• The ground creates a base for coaching programmes, inter-school competitions, and early talent identification in Jharkhand.
• The facility stands as a long-term asset for the school and surrounding community, well beyond the life of the CSR programme that funded it.

Strategic Significance

• Demonstrates Gallant Sports’ capability to deliver FIH-certified infrastructure through corporate CSR mandates.
• Shows that remote-site execution does not require compromise on international certification or build quality.
• Builds a template for how CSR funding can convert into permanent sporting infrastructure rather than one-time contributions.
• Extends organised hockey access into a district where structured training previously wasn’t available.

What Makes This Project Different

One governing body certification. One CSR mandate. A 90-day build in a location most contractors would avoid. The Dayton International School project shows what a CSR-funded sports facility can look like when it’s built to FIH standard rather than scaled back to meet a lower budget. It combines Timken India’s community investment with a facility that will serve East Singhbhum’s students for years.

Conclusion

The FIH-approved hockey turf at Dayton International School gives East Singhbhum a facility that didn’t exist before: certified, safe, and built for daily use by a school community. Delivered as a CSR initiative by Timken India and completed by Gallant Sports & Infra Ltd within 90 days, the project reflects what’s possible when corporate responsibility funding is paired with internationally certified sports infrastructure.