Hundreds of singers from Bollywood and local artists sang the Hockey World Cup theme song that was composed by music director Pritam.
The Men's Hockey World Cup 2023 kicked off on Wednesday evening with a stunning opening ceremony at the scenic Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, seen by thousands of hockey fans from around the country and overseas.
Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, International Hockey Federation president Tayyab Ikram, and Hockey India chairman Dilip Tirkey all attended the dazzling event to welcome members of all 16 competing teams.
Ikram, in his address, complimented Odisha for hosting the mega event twice consecutively, the last one being in 2018, and called the state the "Land of Hockey".
Thakur complimented the Odisha government for organizing the event in magnificent style and stated that the passion of the people of India and the state demonstrated their love for the game.
Patnaik said Odisha has long been known for its hospitality and hoped every visitor takes back good memories of their stay in the state. He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union government for supporting Odisha in hosting the Men's Hockey World Cup twice consecutively.
The hour-long opening ceremony was preceded and followed by colorful cultural programs that captivated the crowd. The festival began with a magnificent tribal dance art of the state created by acclaimed dance teacher Aruna Mohanty, which was a synthesis of at least six native dance traditions.
Sniti Mishra, Rituraj Mohanty, Lisa Mishra, and a slew of other artists, including actor-couple Sabyasachi Mishra and Archita Sahu, wowed the crowd.
Hundreds of singers from Bollywood and local artists sang the Hockey World Cup theme song that was composed by music director Pritam, who also performed on the stage along with some other singers.
The matches will be held at two venues – Birsa Mundra Hockey Stadium in Rourkela and Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar -- from January 13 to January 29.
While 20 matches will be played at Rourkela, 24 matches, including the final, will be held in Bhubaneswar.
Odisha is hosting the international event for the second time in a row, with the last one taking place in Bhubaneswar in 2018.
(With inputs from PTI)
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