The Odisha government, in an effort to promote Indian hockey, has decided to sponsor the national men’s and women’s teams for the coming five years. This is the first time a state government has entered into such an association.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched the team jersey’s logo in an event organised by Hockey India in New Delhi. He said, “We are delighted to have this association and want to thank Hockey India for giving us this chance. In Odisha, hockey is not just a sport, it is a way of life. This is Odisha’s gift to the nation,” reports New Indian Express.

The International Hockey Federation and the Indian Olympic Association president Narinder Batra welcomed this initiative by the government, appreciating its efforts in upgrading the stadiums before the upcoming World Cup. He further requested the government to set up high-performance centres for athletes so that we get more medals in Olympics.

This association will also help Odisha in establishing itself as an international sporting destination. Odisha had successfully hosted the Asian Athletics Championships and Hockey World League Finals last year.

Odisha has produced some of India’s finest hockey players. The current vice-captain of the men’s hockey team, Dipsan Tirkey, also hails from Odisha. Bhubaneswar is set to host the 2018 Men’s Hockey World Cup later this year. Both men’s and women’s teams are gearing up for the World Cup and are visibly excited to be playing in Odisha grounds.