DNA Explainer: Crucial role Odisha played in Indian hockey success story at Tokyo 2020 Olympics

The Tokyo 2020 Olympics has a special significance in the Indian sporting arena for not just sending the largest contingent of players representing the country, in the biggest sporting event, but also the remarkable performance of the players in a variety of sporting events.

But what has particularly been overwhelming is the entry of the men's and women's hockey teams in the Olympics semifinals. Not just that, after a dismal performance in the semis, the Indian men's hockey team went on to end their 41-year wait as they win the bronze Olympic medal against mighty Germany, defeating them 5-4.

Today we look at the success story behind India's performance in the field of hockey after a lull of more than four decades. But before we delve into the details, you all must have noticed Odisha written in bold letters right in the front of the jersey of both men and women hockey players. So what is the connection of Indian hockey with the state of Odisha?

Moments after the Indian women hockey team created history by beating three times hockey world champion Australia in the quarter-finals of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik sent out a congratulatory video message for the players. The success of both hockey teams holds a special significance for Odisha.

To begin with, the current vice-captains of both the men's and women's hockey teams are from Odisha. With the likes of Indian professional sprinter Dutee Chand, Odisha has also over the years produced several national-level hockey players. The state has simultaneously stepped up to develop the sports infrastructure and sponsor national teams.

Entry of Odisha in hockey

After Sahara's exit in 2018, the Odisha government took over the reins of sponsorship of the Indian national hockey teams both in the junior and senior levels. The Odisha government signed round Rs 150 crore deal with Hockey India to sponsor the men's and women's hockey teams over the next 5 years. This was the first time that a state government had decided to sponsor a national team. 

In collaboration with the Tata group, in 2018 the state government set up the Odisha Naval Tata Hockey High-Performance Centre (HPC) at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar. It was opened with a vision to groom the upcoming sporting talent in hockey and produce world-class sportspersons.

This Centre has commenced its boys' resident programme at the Kalinga Hockey Complex for which 31 cadets have been selected for the programme. It also has 12 grassroots centres, at which over 2,500 young trainees are being trained.

How Odisha is encouraging hockey

The state has hosted major hockey tournaments in the last five years. It hosted the World Cup in 2018, the 2014 Champions Trophy, and the Hockey World League final in 2017.

Odisha for the second time is the host of the Men's Hockey World Cup, which is to be played in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela in 2023.

In Rourkela, the Patnaik government is building the country's biggest hockey stadium with a seating capacity for 20,000 spectators that will be named after tribal leader Birsa Munda.

Odisha is also planning to lay a synthetic hockey turf in each of the 17 blocks of the Sundargarh district.

Of the 20 sports hostels in the state, two in Sundargarh are dedicated to hockey.

The first-ever Khelo India University Games was held in Odisha in which 4,000 athletes from 176 universities participated in 211 events in 17 sports events over a period of 10 days.