Cuttack: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup-2023 here in gracious presence of Union Minister Information, Broadcasting Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur.
CM Mr.Patnaik thanked the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Government of India for extending all sorts of cooperation to the Government of Odisha in organizing the hockey world cup.
Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting and Youth Affairs & Sports, Anurag Singh Thakur has said that the Government of India has been doing its best to promote sports and games in the country.
He said that in the true spirit of cooperative federalism, the states are also doing a great job in this regard.
Gracing the grand opening ceremony of the FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup in the historic Barabati Stadium Cuttack in Odisha today, the Minister said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who himself is a great sports lover, the Government of India extended all support to the Indian hockey team even during the difficult time of Covid-19 pandemic, as a result of which India won the prestigious bronze medal in the Tokyo Olympics-2022.
Stating that India has been a seat of hockey since long, the minister recalled how Indian hockey teams have won gold medals in Olympics three times each under hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand before independence and under another hockey legend Balbir Singh Sr. after independence.
Appreciating the grand opening ceremony, the Minster said that it is one of the grandest of all such ceremonies. On the occasion, he thanked the FIH President Tayyab Ikram for having awarded the FIH Men’s hockey world cup to India for two consecutive times. He also thanked the Odisha Chief Minister for having given to the country a magnificent hockey stadium.
Minister Sports and Youth Services, Tusharkanti Behera, Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey graced the occasion. Secretary to CM V K Pandian and other officials were present.