Hockey has a home in Odisha, in the Sundergarh district. In recent years, with active encouragement and funding by the state government under CM Naveen Patnaik, the players have found a home in Odisha too. Many of you may be aware that when the Indian national hockey teams, both Men’s and Women’s, were struggling to find a sponsor around 2018, CM Naveen Patnaik had come forward, and opened Odisha’s purse, and heart for hockey.
Since 2018, the Odisha government has taken a number of steps to promote hockey and its players. The results were for everyone to see when both the Men’s and Women’s teams made it to the Semifinals of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, after almost four decades. The Men’s team won the Bronze medal, ending a long hiatus since the Goldens days of Indian hockey.
The state is again going to host the Men’s Hockey World Cup this month from 13 to 29 January. The capital city of Bhubaneswar and steel city Rourkela have been decked up to host the event. To mark the state’s position in the world hockey map, the Odisha government has constructed the world’s largest hockey stadium in Rourkela, named after legendary freedom fighter Bhagwan Birsa Munda.
The field is ready, the lights are on, and the players are as excited as we are! Get ready to cheer for Team India as they take the field at the FIH Odisha Men's Hockey World Cup 2023! pic.twitter.com/bmMzfX2cIt
— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) January 5, 2023
Hockey India today shared a proud video, of Indian players standing inside the grand stadium, declaring their intent for the FIH Odisha Men’s Hockey World Cup, “to bring it home”.
Hockey World Cup 2023 song, composed by the legendary composer @ipritamofficial, reflects the vivacious spirit of hockey. Let’s join to celebrate the spirit of hockey as #HockeyComesHome. The full music video of the song is here. #HWC2023 pic.twitter.com/o3ZdYVg6Il
— CMO Odisha (@CMO_Odisha) January 4, 2023
The FIH Odisha Hockey World Cup’s mascot is ‘Olly’, the endangered Olive Ridley sea turtle that travels thousands of miles across the oceans every year to make the coast of Odisha their nesting grounds.
Our mascot Olly was a great hit among the people, along with the coveted #HWC2023 trophy when we reached Khordha.
— Odisha Sports (@sports_odisha) December 28, 2022
The prestigious trophy was welcomed by an enthusiastic NCC troop & bike riders. #HockeyWorldCup2023 #OdishaForHockey #HockeyComesHome pic.twitter.com/trs5ItCvx7
Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium, Rourkela
The Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium has been built over 15 acres of land at the campus of the Biju Patnaik University of Technology in Rourkela. The facility has a seating capacity of 20,000. It houses a swimming pool, a state-of-the-art fitness centre and a tunnel connecting the dressing rooms to the playground.
20 of the 44 Hockey World Cup matches will be held at this stadium. The remaining ones, including the final, will be held at Bhubaneswar’s Kalinga Stadium, which was the venue of all Hockey World Cup matches in 2018. Belgium was the winner in 2018.
To test the newly laid turf ahead of the grand event, a 3-match series was organised at the stadium, between Korean junior and Indian junior teams recently.
Sundergarh district and hockey
The tribal-dominated Sundergarh district in Odisha has been living a breathing hockey for decades. Located in an area that was once the heartland of the Maoist Red-corridor, Sundergarh has become the ‘Cradle of Indian Hockey’. The resource-rich region has produced five national captains of the Indian hockey team and over 60 international players.
Some believe that the natural soil and rock in the limestone belt of Chotanagpur plateau, with its abundance in calcium percentage, strengthens the bones of the people in this area and makes them energetic, making them perfect for playing hockey.
The sport is now a cultural identity for various tribes such as Orams, the Kharia, the Munda and the Bhuniya communities. Even aged people in these tribal villages can be seen playing hockey. The game introduced by Christian missionaries centuries ago has now seeped into their culture.
Three players from Sundergarh – one women hockey player (Deep Grace Ekka) and two men players (Amit Rohidas and Birendra Lakra) made it to the Tokyo Olympics 2021.
The Odisha government has been organising a series of promotional events to encourage the public to watch and participate in the sport. The trophy of the World Cup arrived in Odisha on December 27, after touring 16 states. Since then it has been on a tour across schools and colleges, getting a rousing welcome from people of the state everywhere.
