Odisha Hockey WC: Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur Hails Opening Ceremony As One Of Grandest

Cuttack: Hailing the opening ceremony of Hockey World Cup 2023 as one of the grandest of such events, Union Youth Affairs & Sports Minister Anurag Singh Thakur said the Centre has been doing its best to promote sports and games in the country.

Gracing the glittering opening ceremony at the historic Barabati Stadium in Cuttack on Wednesday, he said that in the true spirit of cooperative federalism, the states are also doing a great job in this regard.

The Minister said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who himself is a great sports lover, the Centre extended all support to the Indian hockey team even during the difficult time of Covid-19 pandemic, as a result of which India won the bronze medal in the Tokyo Olympics-2022.

Stating that India has been a seat of hockey since long, Thakur recalled how Indian hockey teams have won gold medals in Olympics three times each under hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand before independence and under another hockey legend Balbir Singh Sr. after independence.

Appreciating the grand opening ceremony, the Minster said it is one of the grandest of all such ceremonies.

On the occasion, he thanked the FIH President Tayyab Ikram for having awarded the FIH Men’s hockey world cup to India for two consecutive times.

Thakur also thanked the Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for having given to the country a magnificent hockey stadium.