Find out how Odisha has uplifted that status of Hockey in India

Being India’s national sport, Hockey also serves as a common bond and unites the country. When the British Regiments played the game there and taught it to the British Indian Regiments, who soon picked it up, it gained popularity in India. The first hockey team was established in Calcutta in 1885–1886. Bombay and Punjab soon followed.

The Bengal Hockey was established in 1908 and was the country’s first hockey association. As a result of the game’s popularity, associations were established in a number of states, including Bombay, Bihar, Orissa, and Delhi.

In 1928, the squad won its first Olympic gold medal. The best years for the Indian hockey team were 1928 to 1956. The Indian men’s team went undefeated in the Olympics and won six straight gold medals.

 During that time, legendary players like Roop Singh helped the national hockey squad. Roop Singh participated in his first Olympic game in 1932 for India. Indian Hockey grew over time, and as the market and popularity of the game expanded, sponsors began to show an interest.

Sahara became the sponsor for Indian National Hockey Team, since 1995 through 2021. After that, the Odisha Government has taken up the sponsorship.

Odisha has played a significant and intriguing role in the sport of hockey. Hockey’s adventure began in 1985 in the region of Odisha near Rourkela. Hockey is much more than just a game because it is a sport of the nation. It makes an emotional connection.

The state of Odisha has made significant contributions to the hockey game. Hockey Odisha was established on August 28, 2009. In the national and international hockey communities, the year 2010 has ushered in a new era. The goal is to bring the hockey community together and boost the sport’s recognition outside of Odisha.

Odisha Govt. and the current and the 14th CM of Odisha Mr. Naveen Patnaik has played a crucial role in establishing and promoting hockey in Odisha at national and international level. Since, Naveen Patnaik played goalie for his school’s hockey team as a youngster, his early and intense love for the game may be the driving force behind the Odisha government’s and CM Naveen Patnaik’s support for the sport.

Patnaik and the Odisha Govt. has invested a lot in Hockey and provided financial support too. CM Patronized the game of Hockey when it needed the most.

Odisha government and CM Naveen Patnaik went one step further and agreed to sponsor both the men’s and women’s national hockey teams. Odisha’s Govt. signed a deal in 2018 to sponsor Indian Hockey for 5 years replacing Sahara from the sponsorship.

Odisha Govt. spent 150 cr for the pledge. Now this agreement has since been extended for 10 more years, till 2033. Odisha is the only state to sponsor a national team. The Chief Minister Patnaik also supported Indian Women’s Hockey team when they lost the match against Great Britain in Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

The State has hosted the grand events of Hockey like Hockey World Cup 2018 and is again going to host the 2023 Hockey world cup. Other than this Odisha also had been a base model for Hockey which provides outstanding training centres and coaching facilities to produce good players and produced legendary players like Dilip Tirkey and Sunita Lakra.

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