Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has decided to invite the chief ministers of all states in the country to the Men’s Hockey World Cup 2023 to be hosted by the state.
The decision was taken at an all-party meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in Bhubaneswar on Thursday. Seeking help and cooperation of all parties to make the mega sports event a success, Naveen thanked the Central government, particularly Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for necessary support to organise the Hockey World Cup.
Speaking at the meeting, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan lauded the efforts of the state government in organising the global sports event. He called for further promotion of sports in the state so that it would produce at least 100 Olympians by 2036, the centenary year of the formation of separate Odisha state.
While Barbati Stadium at Cuttack is the venue for star-studded opening ceremony on January 11, the World Cup matches will be played at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar and Birsa Munda International Stadium in Rourkela from January 13 to 29.
It is for the second consecutive time that Odisha is hosting the event and plans are afoot to make this edition of the World Cup bigger than 2018. The state has planned entertainment sessions in four cities – Bhubaneswar, Rourkela, Berhampur and Sambalpur.
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