Rourkela: The 4th edition of the Odisha Naval Tata U-14 Boys Hockey Grassroot Championship 2025 kicked off at the iconic Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium here.
The tournament has brought together 35 teams and around 400 budding young players from Hockey Training Centres (HTCs) and Grassroot Centres (GRs) across Odisha. One team from Jharkhand is also in the fray this time.
The grand finale of the championship, organised by the Odisha Naval Tata Hockey High Performance Centre (ONTHHPC) in partnership with the state government’s Sports and Youth Services Department, is scheduled for November 8 at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium.
Sudipta Kumar Nayak, Deputy Director (Sports), Odisha government, was the chief guest at the tournament inauguration.
Among other dignitaries present were Peter Soreng, hockey coach, Panposh (Odisha government), and senior hockey coach Kalu Charan Choudhury.
The teams have been divided in to eight pools (A to H). The pool toppers will advance to the quarterfinals.
Matches are being held daily on the two pitches of the stadium, starting at 6.30 am.
The tournament serves helps identify and nurture young talents with the potential to represent Odisha and India in the years to come.