Batra, the President of Hockey India, received 68 votes to surpass the majority of 60 required for victory.

Ireland's David Balbirnie claimed 29 votes, while 13 Member Associations ticked the box for Australia's Ken Read.

Batra succeeds outgoing Spaniard Leandro Negre, head of the FIH for eight years, as President of the organisation and will take office immediately.

He is the 12th FIH President since the body was established in January 1924.

The 59-year-old, who has overseen a resurgence in the sport in his native country during his two-year tenure at the helm of Hockey India, has also made history as the first Indian to be elected to take charge of an Olympic International Federation.

"I don’t think there is any additional pressure but I do think it is an honour and I feel humbled," Batra said here.

"It makes me feel like I have more responsibilities and I would certainly like to live up to the expectations the members have placed on me."

Batra, the brainchild of the Hockey India League (HIL), the catalyst to India rising from 12th to sixth place on the men's world rankings, has cited revenue generation and expanding the game into more countries as two of his key aims.

His vision is to bring together the best of hockey from across the world to give the right kind of exposure to players, as well as fans, while increasing the television and social media presence of the international game.

As HIL chairman, Batra carried the responsibility for providing a sustainable competitive structure that feeds into the development of hockey.

Batra helped get the Indian Olympic Association reinstated as a member of International Olympic Committee in 2014.

But he was also involved in a dispute with the body's President N Ramachandran, which they claim is now resolved.

Batra had been the favourite before today's election. 

A number of voters had told insidethegames that they expected him to win, although some questioned whether he would be able to triumph in the first round.

He will be tasked with building on the groundwork laid by departing chief executive Kelly Fairweather, who is leaving to join the International Tennis Federation as chief operating officer, and Negre, who have been influential in establishing the "Hockey Revolution".

The FIH deemed the 10-year strategic plan to be critical for the sport after hockey narrowly avoided being cut from the Olympic programme after London 2012. 

"Hockey is moving forward so please be rest assured the old team has got it to a very good level and we need to take it and expand it," added Batra.

"I can say me and [Jason McCracken] the new chief executive will not let you down on the revenue side.

"The revenues will go up, no question."

As well as the elections for President, the FIH membership was also called on to elect new members of the ruling Executive Board.

The electorate had earlier passed a motion which saw gender equality installed among ordinary members of the Board - those who are not the President, chief executive, heads of Continental Federations or athlete representatives.

It was agreed that four men and four women should serve on the body before the Congress gave the green light to the change coming into effect immediately, which had an impact on the following elections.

Uruguay's Danae Andrada and Zambia's Hazel Kennedy defeated incumbents Sue Catton of England and Mary Cincinelli of Canada to secure the female places on the Board.

As a result of former Board member Batra's election as President, three of the five male candidates were successful with their campaigns - Tayyab Ikram of Macau, Erik Cornelissen of The Netherlands and former Germany international Michael Green.