HI secretary general Narinder Batra said that the appointment of Oltmans was an important step to ensure that a strategic programme is in place for the senior and junior men's and women's teams.
"Hockey India has been looking for a candidate that not only has the experience of High Performance Management but also understands the unique attributes of working on the sub-continent. We are confident that Roelant will bring his vast experience and knowledge into this key position" he said.
Oltmans who is eager to commence his role with HI said he was excited to be signing with the hockey federation in the first ever role as Director, High Performance.
"I strongly believe that there is a lot of talent in India and by having a proper plan in place we will be able to raise the level of Indian hockey in the near future," he said.
Oltmans, who coached the Dutch team for fourteen years, has a long list of achievements.
Under his coaching, the Dutch has won a gold medal at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, two FIH World Cups, three FIH Champions Trophy and the Euro Hockey League.
The former Dutch coach is currently working with the Dutch Olympic Committee as its Performance Manager for Elite Sports, and is also an International Hockey Federation (FIH) Master Coach.
Oltmans is also the chief coach with the Uttar Pradesh Wizards for the Hero Hockey India League (HIL).
