Odisha Naval Tata Hockey Grassroots League Championship 2024

Bhubaneswar: The 4th edition of the Odisha Naval Tata Hockey Grassroots League Championship 2024 concluded with a grand closing ceremony on July 12 at Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar. The event celebrated young athletes’ dedication and achievements in hockey.

Organized by the Odisha Naval Tata Hockey High Performance Centre (HPC) and the Sports & Youth Services Department of the Odisha Government, the championship aimed to nurture young hockey talent statewide, creating a pool of skilled players for future competitions. In the concluding match, HTC Rajgangpur won in the Boy’s category while HTC Lathikata won in the Girl’s category.

The closing ceremony was graced by Shri DilipTirkey, Olympian and President of Hockey India, as the Chief Guest, with Shri Bhaskar Jyoti Sarma, IAS, Secretary of Sports and Youth Services Department, Government of Odisha, as the Guest of Honour. Special guests included Olympians BirendraLakra, RosanMinz, SunitaLakra, LilimaMinz, DipsanTirkey, and Rajiv Seth, Project Director, Odisha Naval Tata Hockey High Performance Centre, Bhubaneswar, and Head of Sports (Odisha), Tata Steel, along with other officials.

The initial phase of the event took place in Nuagaon and Jajpur from June 10 to 15, featuring enthusiastic participation from 32 grassroots centers in both men’s and women’s categories. From this pool, 8 teams from each category successfully advanced to the final phase, held at Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar, from July 8 to 12. This phase saw 16 qualified teams competing in a league-cum-knockout format.

Highlighting the importance of grassroots centres, Shri DilipTirkey, Olympian and President of Hockey India said ‘’grassroots training centres help players to become international standards. Players from rural areas are getting more exposure out of it. I believe many young talents will come out soon.’’

Expressing his pleasure over the Champions League Shri Bhaskar Jyoti Sarma, IAS, Secretary of the Sports and Youth Services Department, Government of Odisha, said more and more events will be held in the coming days.

Rajiv Seth, Project Director, Odisha Naval Tata Hockey High Performance Centre, Bhubaneswar, and Head of Sports (Odisha), Tata Steel, stated, “Sports is a way of life in Tata Steel and a culture in the communities we serve. The Grassroots League is a testament to our commitment to promoting sports and nurturing young talent.”

The league saw around 200 kids participate in the inaugural match, showcasing the region’s enthusiasm for hockey. This unique grassroots league offers opportunities for homegrown talent, including state-level competition, sports hostel entry, and Hockey HPC on merit. Homegrown officials conduct the competitions, empowering girls and supporting over 900 athletes across two phases. Additionally, it provides umpires with opportunities to be empanelled with Hockey India.

The Odisha Naval Tata Hockey HPC, inaugurated in 2019, is an Odisha Government initiative in partnership with Tata Steel and Tata Trusts. It connects over 3,500 U17 trainees across 31 grassroots centers in 13 districts, with 61 experienced coaches. The program maintains a 60:40 gender ratio, and its participants compete in tournaments, bringing laurels to the state.

Additionally, 60 technical officials trained by ONTHHPC now conduct state and national-level hockey tournaments.

The success of this championship highlights the commitment to fostering a strong hockey culture in Odisha and providing young athletes with the opportunities they need to excel.