The 121st edition of the All India Beighton Cup hockey tournament will start here on December 19, it was announced on Thursday.
The nine - day meet which is one of the oldest hockey tournaments in the world will have the qualifiers starting on Friday.
Three teams will qualify for the main round or the pre - quarter final round from the qualifiers.
Punjab National Bank are the defending champions.
They rode on goalkeeper Jasvir Singh's heroics in the shootout to beat four - time defending champions Indian Oil Corporation and win their maiden title last year.
International Hockey Federation (FIH) President Narinder Batra announced earlier that the century - old competition, which has lost its sheen with time, will be telecast live on YouTube.