How Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik Charted A New Path For Indian Hockey
When five-time Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik was the goalkeeper of Doon School’s hockey team six decades ago, little did he know that he would later become the benefactor of Indian hockey.
Despite being the country’s national sport, its performance had been steadily declining since the ’80s. Prior to a 40-year long dry spell, the Indian hockey team had earned a name for itself by winning back-to-back golds in the Olympics with legends like Dhyan Chand at the helm.
Now as the men’s team clinched a bronze and the women’s team made it to the bronze medal match, athletes and authorities seem to credit Patnaik for the turnaround in the fortunes of Indian hockey.
Breaking new ground, the state decided to sponsor both the men’s and women’s hockey teams in 2018, pledging worth a massive Rs 120 crore for a period of five years. After Sahara pulled out of the sponsorship, the Odisha government took over to ensure infrastructural and logistical support and bore the expenses for training and education. This was a historical measure for a cash-strapped state like Odisha as it was the first state of the country to officially sponsor the national teams.
In 2018, when the state was hosting the Men’s Hockey World Cup, Patnaik retorted to a media question saying, “Someone has to take responsibility, to spare embarrassment to the country and the sport.”
In a research paper titled ‘A Case Of Indian Hockey Unable To Anchor In Its Glorious Past’, author LRK Krishnan recounts the various factors that led to the downfall of the sport. From lack of financial support for players to corruption and infighting within sporting bodies, many reasons can be ascertained.
Another major change was the mandatory adoption of artificial surfaces (astroturf) by the Fédération Internationale de Hockey (FIH), the international governing body. For countries like India and Pakistan who were used to playing on grass, this was a change that was difficult to cope with along with the steep price of laying down astroturf.
From oblivion to a podium finish
After winning Olympic bronze, Men’s Hockey player Manpreet Singh echoed the sentiments of his team as he credited Patnaik for the achievement. “This dream won’t be possible without the encouragement and vision of Honorable Chief Minister of Odisha Shri Naveen Patnaik ji and Odisha Sports who have been supporting us throughout this journey,” he tweeted.
Many also believe that the presence of Dilip Tirkey in Patnaik’s Biju Janata Dal could have helped move the needle. Tirkey, a three-time Olympian and former captain of the hockey team first served in Rajya Sabha and is now the chairperson of the Odisha Hockey Promotion Council.
Glad to felicitate the star players from #Odisha, Deep Grace Ekka, Namita Toppo, Birendra Lakra and Amit Rohidas who were part of the Indian #Hockey teams which created history at #Tokyo2020. Their spectacular performance will continue to inspire generation of sportspersons. pic.twitter.com/AZ98pCqi10
— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) August 11, 2021
In fact, the district of Sundargarh, where Tirkey comes from is well known for its affinity to the sport. It has been the starting point for many prominent players including Olympians Namita Toppo, Amit Rohidas, vice-captains Deep Grace Ekka and Birendra Lakra.
Odisha will host the 2023 Men’s hockey world cup for which the construction of India’s largest hockey stadium with 20,000-capacity in Rourkela is underway. It is touted to boost the development of hockey in Sundargarh. It will be the second venue apart from the Kalinga Stadium which the state will be hosting for the second time in a row. It was at the stadium in 2019 where Patnaik also received the FIH President’s Award for his contribution towards promoting sports including hockey.
Overwhelmed by the recent success, the government has also announced that 89 multi-purpose indoor stadia will be built at the cost of Rs 693.35 crore. These will also serve as shelter sites during natural disasters. The state has also increased its sports budget from Rs 265 crore to Rs 370 crore this year, reported the media.
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Odisha’s investment in the hockey teams has now borne fruit, showing just how much of a difference robust infrastructural and financial support can create. In the lead-up to Paris 2024, it will be a waiting game to see whether this will encourage more governments to follow suit and create a conducive environment for other sports to take off as well.
(Edited by Amrita Ghosh)
