Ahead of FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023, the Chief Minister of Odisha Naveen Patnaik inaugurated the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium at Rourkela on Thursday.
This will be the second time that Odisha is hosting the Hockey World Cup. The prestigious hockey world cup event will be held at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar and the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela from January 13 to 29, 2023.
A total of 24 matches will be played in Kalinga Stadium and 20 matches will be held in the Birsa Munda Stadium.
These stadiums and the hockey practice centers at the stadium complex have been certified level-1 by FIH (the highest in its category).
According to the Odisha Government, it is the biggest seated (chair) hockey stadium in the world. The stadium was built for Rs. 261 crores.
Naveen Patnaik also inaugurated hockey training centers in Ganjam, Sundargarh, Sambalpur, and Rourkela.
Chief Minister said at the inauguration,
“It is a moment of great joy and celebration for Odisha. We are not only hosting the Hockey World Cup for the second consecutive time, but we have also built the world’s largest hockey stadium in Rourkela,”
“This is the new Odisha. I dedicate this to the people of Sundargarh and the hockey players of our nation. I welcome the global hockey fraternity to come and experience its grandeur,” he added.
-- Advertisement --“In the coming years, the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium will play a pivotal role in taking Indian Hockey to global heights”
This stadium has been named after legendary and renowned tribal leader Birsa Munda.
