Odisha was not one of the leading states in the fields of tourism and sports, for example, just a few decades ago. The scenery, on the other hand, has drastically changed.
Odisha is forging new roads right now. In order to become a sporting superpower, they have made significant investments in hosting major events. The goal is to establish itself as a premier worldwide sports, tourism, and other event destination.
Odisha has developed into a’sports capital’ state in the last five years. They were the first state to commit a total of 150 crore to the national hockey team’s sponsorship in 2018. (over a period of five years – 2018 to 2023).
Odisha’s sponsorship helped device hockey in the country when other government sponsors lost faith in the teams. In 2018, they hosted the Men’s Hockey World Cup.
The major event aided Indian hockey’s development over the next few years. When they bought back an Olympic gold after a 41-year hiatus in 2021, the outcome was clear for all to see. Because of the success, the sponsorship has been extended until 2033.
Hockey is strongly ingrained in Odisha’s culture, with the sport also being played in the state’s rural and tribal areas. Dilip Tirkey, Pramod Tirkey, Lazarus Tirkey, Jyoti Sunita Kullu, Sunita Lakra, Amit Rohidas, Birendra Lakra, Deep Grace Ekka, and Namita Toppo are all from the state’s Sundargarh district. Lakra was a member of the Indian Olympic squad that won bronze in Tokyo in 2020.
Naveen Patnaik, the Chief Minister, was a goalkeeper for his high school squad. Sports have always been a big part of his life, and he’s now channelling that energy into the state’s ambition to expand with the vision –
“Sports for youth, Youth for future.”
The state of Odisha is working to create a comprehensive ecosystem that promotes sports and sportsmen. Over the last five years, the state has implemented a slew of welfare programmes aimed at helping athletes at all levels, from grassroots to elite, including financial aid for training, participation, and jobs for deserving athletes.
Odisha has made significant investments in sports, beginning with the enhancement of the grassroots sports ecosystem, which is the source of athletic talent.
From the Gram Panchayat to the state level, the government has invested heavily in establishing and updating sports facilities, resulting in an all-inclusive and accessible sports ecosystem.
Odisha is bolstering its national status by portraying sport as its “soft power” and establishing itself as the most popular destination for hosting major sporting events.
From the Asian Athletics Championship to the Asian Rugby Championship to the FIH Tokyo qualifications, the state has hosted some of the most prestigious international tournaments. The ongoing effort has positioned the state as a top sports destination.
The Kalinga Hockey Stadium is currently one of the best hockey arenas in the world, and hockey teams in Odisha enjoy unprecedented hype. As a result, it made sense to build on Odisha’s existing hockey ecosystem and engage with Hockey India to bring the next edition of the Hockey Men’s World Cup to Odisha in 2023.
Apart from Bhubaneswar, the Sundergarh district will host the Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023. The Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium in Rourkela is being built at a cost of Rs 112 crore to host the event.
The state-of-the-art edifice, which will seat 20,000 people and be larger than the Kalinga stadium, is modelled after the ancient Colosseum and will provide an unique athletic experience for both fans and players.
The stadium, as well as the surrounding infrastructure, will serve as a model for other hockey arenas across the world. Along with the main stadium, a practise pitch will be built.
The athletes’ lodging is also being prepared in a uniform manner across the campus. The campus will be transformed into a one-stop shop for event-related activities, complete with a Fan Park. The project is currently in full swing, with a completion date of June-July 2022.
The state has the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Cuttack for table tennis and badminton, which not only trains shuttlers and paddles but has also held some of the best athletic events, including the Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships in 2019.
The state boasts excellent multipurpose halls and indoor stadiums, and 89 more are being built at a cost of almost 700 crores, as approved by the state cabinet lately.
Integrated sports complexes with facilities for both indoor and outdoor games like as badminton, table tennis, cricket, basketball, tennis, and others are being created at the provincial level.
Apart from hockey, as part of its AIFF collaboration, Odisha is currently sponsoring the national U15 and U19 football teams. Odisha also has a team in the ISL called Odisha FC. In 2020, Odisha inked an MoU with Rugby India to support the Indian national rugby squad for the next three years and to help the players with high-performance training and conditioning.
The state government has increased its sports budget to 602 crore in its annual budget for 2022-23 to provide an additional boost. Aside from the 411 crore for infrastructure development, 115 crore would be allocated to sports education promotion and 11 crore to the state’s support for Khelo India. The remaining funds will be used for administrative costs.
It’s no surprise that other states are already copying the “Odisha Sports Model.” Wrestling and badminton have recently been adopted in Uttar Pradesh.
Prasanta Patnaik