India News | Odisha Extends Sponsorship of Indian Hockey Teams Till 2036
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. The Odisha government on Friday announced that it will extend the sponsorship of Indian hockey teams till 2036.
Bhubaneswar, Jun 21 (PTI) The Odisha government on Friday announced that it will extend the sponsorship of Indian hockey teams till 2036.
The previous BJD government had already decided to sponsor the national men and women teams till 2033.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi made the announcement after a high-level meeting with Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey, its secretary general Bhola Nath Singh, Odisha Minister of State for Sports & Youth Services Suryabanshi Suraj, Chief Secretary & Chief Development Commissioner Pradeep Kumar Jena and Commissioner-Cum-Secretary R Vineel Krishna.
"In 2036, Odisha will complete 100 years of its formation. Odisha's role in the rise of hockey has been instrumental and this extension of sponsorship could prove to be a game changer for the state in the sports domain," Majhi said.
"We discussed the advancement of sports and strategies to elevate hockey to new heights," Tirkey said, thanking the Odisha government for its unwavering support and commitment to Indian hockey.
Odisha has been the official sponsor of the men's and women's national hockey teams since 2018. In April 2023, the previous Odisha government, led by Naveen Patnaik, announced extension of sponsorship from 2023 to 2033.
During Patnaik's tenure, Odisha had organised major international hockey tournaments in the state, including FIH Hockey Men's World Cups (2018 and 2023), and Junior Men's World Cup (2021).
The state also boasts of the world's largest hockey stadium, at Rourkela. The Birsa Munda Stadium, with a seating capacity of 20,000, was built ahead of the 2023 World Cup, which was co-hosted by Bhubaneswar and Rourkela.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)