The Village of Saunamara and the Silent Hero of India’s New Hockey Era

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Last Updated:August 13, 2021, 10:53 IST

The Hockey team’s success wouldn't have been possible without the support of Odisha and its Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik

The Hockey team’s success wouldn't have been possible without the support of Odisha and its Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik

The country and its hockey lovers are basking in the glory of the bronze medal the men’s team won at the recently concluded Tokyo Olympics, thus ending the 41-year medal, but this success holds even more significance for Odisha. The Hockey team’s success wouldn’t have been possible without the support of Odisha and its Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik – who is a known figure among all Indian hockey players. The state has over the years produced several national-level hockey players and stepped up to develop infrastructure and sponsor national teams. Started out as the CM’s vision journey started in 2018.

Job & Cash Award for Odia Hockey Players

The Chief Minister felicitated the players from Odisha in the Indian Hockey team at a function in Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar. Women’s team players Deep Grace Ekka, Namita Toppo alongside the men’s team players Birendra Lakra and Amit Rohidas were present during the ceremony. A cash award of Rs 2.5 crores was given to Lakra and Rohidas and an offer letter for appointment as Deputy Superintendent of Police in the State Police department. Grace and Namita Toppo were awarded Rs 50 Lakh each. The Chief Minister appreciated the performance of the men’s team players in winning a bronze medal for the country and commended the spirited fight of the women’s team in reaching the semi-finals and creating history in Indian Hockey.

Multi-Purpose 89 Indoor Stadium statewide

With the aim to strengthen sports infrastructure and to create new talents Odisha govt has also decided to construct 89 multi-purpose indoor stadiums at a cost of Rs 693.35 crores. The works will be completed within 18 months. These projects will be taken up in 85 urban local bodies (ULBs) areas including Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, and Rourkela. It will facilitate professional coaching at the grassroot level and will improve the sports culture, health and fitness across the state. The stadiums will have facilities for playing Badminton, Table Tennis, Yoga, Gymnasium, etc. The indoor hall space can be utilised for most of the indoor games and can be converted as per the local popularity of various indoor sports. The stadiums are to be named Biju Patnaik Indoor Stadium and will come up at three municipal corporations (Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, and Rourkela) and in 30 municipalities, and 52 NACs. The state government will spend Rs 10.15 crore for the construction of each stadium at municipal corporation towns and municipalities while Rs 6.40 crore will be spent for building one such stadium in NAC. The state govt has given more focus to developing sports infrastructure and allocated Rs.356.36 crores for this. Rs.90 crores will be allocated through the budgetary allocation of state govt. The remaining amount is to be funded through CSR, District Mineral Funds (DMF), Sundargarh, and Odisha Sports Development fund (SODF).

“The 89 multipurpose indoor stadiums under the ‘urban sports infrastructure development project’ will be completed over the next 18 months. This will provide a major boost to the development of sports in the state," said the sports and youth services minister Tusharkanti Behera. These projects will be taken up in 85 urban local bodies (ULBs) areas including Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, and Rourkela under the 5T Initiative to transform the sports field in Odisha, Also can be utilized as community shelters during disasters like cyclones, floods, etc. In times of pandemics, the stadium can be converted into a 50-bed (NAC model) or 100-bed (municipality model) field hospital," he added.

Naveen Patnaik with the women’s team

History- from 2018

When in 2018, the state government decided to sponsor the Indian National Hockey teams (Men/Women, Junior/Senior) for a tenure of 5 years, replacing Sahara, it was the first time that a state government had decided to sponsor a national team. The government had pledged Rs 150 crore for the purpose. The state government established a Hockey High-Performance Centre at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar for the purpose of Hockey development in the state and Country. Interesting fact that Chief Minister was a hockey player. Dilip Tirkey, Former Captain, Indian hockey team thanked CM Naveen Patnaik for taking the visionary steps to bring the national game into the limelight. “CM Naveen Patnaik was also a goalkeeper in hockey at doon international school. He has a soft spot for hockey and that came out while he was on a TV show with Bollywood star Amitabh Bachhan. Due to the visionary plan of Patnaik, our stars brought victory for the nation"

Hockey Village Saunamara of Odisha

Odisha has emerged as the new home of Indian hockey, with the Sundergarh region as its epicenter. Sundergarh has become the ‘Cradle of Indian Hockey’. The resource-rich region has produced five national captains of the Indian hockey team and over 60 international players. The state has over the years produced great hockey players like Dilip Tirkey, Ignace Tirkey, Lazarus Barla, Jyoti Sunita Kullu, Sunita Lakra. The current squads have three players from Sundergarh – one women hockey player (Deep Grace Ekka) and two men players (Amit Rohidas and Birendra Lakra). Sundergarh now has three hockey academies which include a sports hostel in Panposh. To further strengthen the hockey ecosystem in Sundergarh, Odisha is also planning to lay a synthetic hockey turf in each of the 17 blocks of the district.

Saunamara, a Small Village of Balishankar block of Sundargarh district is known as the hockey village. Hockey is a hereditary game here. Sounamara has a great contribution towards Hockey with legend Dillip Tirkey, Bikash Toppo, Bipin Kerketta, Subhadra Pradhan, Deepsan Tirkey, and Rohidas coming from this village. Panposh Sports hostel, Rourkela has provided the scope to the talents to go ahead. " We are feeling very proud of their achievements and we are more am committed to contribute and nurture new talent. Saunamara has made a great contribution to hockey in India," Coach of Amit Rohidas and Bijay Lakra, Amuly Bihari Nanda, said.

World-class Biggest Hockey Stadium at Rourkela

A world-class hockey stadium is being constructed in Rourkela of Sundargarh district. It is being constructed over 15 acres of land in the Biju Patnaik University of Technology campus in Rourkela. The stadium will be named Birsa Munda International Hockey stadium. 120 crore Rupees will be spent on the construction of the stadium.