Odisha a global hub of Hockey with world's best stadiums: Govt

Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], June 1 (ANI): Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday reviewed the progress on the manifesto commitments and achievements of the Sports and Youth Services Department over the last four years, according to an official statement.
It added that the state Sports and Youth Services Minister, Tusharkanti Behera, presented a detailed development report and other transformational efforts made by the Department to meet the goals.
According to the statement, the state established itself as a global hub of hockey, having successfully organised consecutive editions of the FIH Hockey World Cup in 2018 and 2023.
It added that Odisha had been the venue for prominent hockey events like the FIH Hockey Junior Men's World Cup, Pro League, FIH Olympic Qualifiers, and FIH Series Finals, solidifying its position as a global destination for hockey.
It also said that the Kalinga Hockey Stadium and Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium were among the top hockey stadiums in the world.
The Sports and Youth Services minister apprised the Odisha CM that the state had rapidly emerged as a favoured destination for sports owing to its exceptional infrastructure, facilities and successful organization of numerous global sporting competitions.
"Under the visionary leadership of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, the state is actively promoting and nurturing a wide range of sports, propelling its journey as a flourishing sports hub," read the statement.
It added that Odisha has also made remarkable strides in hosting noteworthy international events in other sports.
"In football, the state successfully organized the FIFA U17 Women's World Cup and the SAFF U20 Championship, providing talented young footballers from around the world with a platform to showcase their skills," it said.
Odisha Open, Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships and a plethora of national events across sports had redefined Odisha as a Sports Hub in India, it said.
"Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, the state's capital, serves as the home ground for Odisha FC, the reigning Super Cup Champions. Odisha Juggernauts is the state's franchise in the Ultimate Kho Kho League," it stated.
It added that Odisha set a standard by opening High-Performance Centres in a number of sports disciplines with corporations and notable athletes, in a novel cooperation model that had received much praise.
"It not only extended its support to Hockey India by another ten years it is also supporting National Federations in Football, Rugby, Kho Kho and Swimming," read the official statement. (ANI)