The Odisha government’s long-standing investment in hockey received an acknowledgement on Friday when Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi felicitated India’s Asian Games gold-winning men’s and women’s hockey teams at the Kalinga Stadium, announcing a combined cash reward of ₹5.61 crore for the players and support staff.
The programme was organised by the Sports and Youth Services Department, Government of Odisha.
Under this award scheme, each player will receive ₹11 lakh, while every member of the support staff will get ₹5.5 lakh. The state also announced an additional ₹20 lakh each for Odisha players Amit Rohidas, Shilanand Lakra and Sunelita Toppo in recognition of their contribution to the historic victories.
The felicitation celebrated a landmark achievement at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan, where India’s men’s and women’s teams won gold medals in the same edition for the first time.
The men retained their title with a 5-1 victory over Malaysia, while the women defeated defending champions China 1-0 to end a 44-year wait for the continental crown. Both teams also secured direct qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
For Odisha, the occasion was about more than celebrating a national sporting triumph. It highlighted how sustained investment in infrastructure, grassroots development and long-term support for athletes can help strengthen India’s presence on the international sporting stage.
Hockey has a special place in Odisha’s sporting culture, particularly in the Sundargarh district in the western part of the state. Villages such as Saunamara have produced generations of players, earning the region a reputation as the cradle of Indian hockey. Former India captain Dilip Tirkey, who represented the country at three Olympics, remains one of its most celebrated sporting figures.
The current national teams carry that legacy forward. Rohidas and Lakra have made their mark in the men’s team, while Toppo represents the growing contribution of Odisha to women’s hockey. They follow in the footsteps of former Indian players such as Sunita Lakra, Namita Toppo and Deep Grace Ekka.
The state’s contribution extends beyond producing players.
Institutions such as the State Sports Hostel at Panposh and the SAIL Hockey Academy in Rourkela provide aspiring athletes with structured training and coaching. Odisha has also established itself as a major venue for international hockey, with the Kalinga Stadium hosting the men’s World Cup in 2018 and 2023—the latter alongside Rourkela’s Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium.
Since 2018, Odisha has been the official sponsor of India’s senior and junior men’s and women’s national hockey teams, with the state committing to continue its support until 2036.
Its sporting ambitions now extend beyond hockey. The government is expanding facilities across the state, including block-level stadiums, backed by an investment of more than ₹4,000 crore.
A proposed Global Sports Complex at Gothapatna, estimated to cost ₹1,000 crore, is another part of this push. Bhubaneswar is also scheduled to host the 2028 World Athletics Indoor Championships.
