Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Friday felicitated the Indian men’s and women’s hockey teams at a grand ceremony at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, honouring their historic gold medal victories at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan and qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi attended the ceremony as the chief guest and presented cash rewards to the players, coaches and support staff of both teams. The state government announced a total reward of Rs 5.61 crore for the two teams.

Under the reward scheme, each player of the men’s and women’s teams received Rs 11 lakh, while every member of the support staff awarded Rs 5.5 lakh.

The men’s team and its support staff receive a total of Rs 2.75 crore, while the women’s team awarded Rs 2.86 crore.

Additional cash awards for 3 Odia players

In recognition of their exceptional contributions to Indian hockey, Odisha’s Amit Rohidas, Shilanand Lakra and Sunelita Toppo received an additional special reward of Rs 20 lakh each.

Addressing the gathering, Majhi described the gold-winning players as true icons for the country’s youth, saying their achievements had brought pride and honour to India and Odisha.

The Chief Minister particularly lauded the women’s team for its historic gold medal victory after a gap of 44 years, describing the achievement as a source of inspiration for women across the country.

He praised the dedication and talent of Rohidas, Lakra and Toppo, who hail from Sundargarh district, for bringing recognition to the state through their performances on the international stage.

Quoting eminent Odia poet Sachidananda Routray, Majhi said that talented individuals bring global recognition to the land of their birth. He reaffirmed that Odisha would continue its commitment as the official sponsor of the Indian national hockey teams.

The Chief Minister also expressed hope that Odisha would host hockey events if India’s proposal to host the 2036 Olympic Games materialises. Such an opportunity, he said, would be particularly significant as Odisha is going to celebrate the centenary of its formation as a separate province in 2036.

CM praises captains of both teams

Majhi praised the leadership of Indian women’s team captain Salima Tete and men’s team captain Harmanpreet Singh. He described Tete as an example of modern and effective sports leadership and credited Harmanpreet’s determination with guiding the men’s team to a second consecutive Asian Games gold medal.

He also highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts to encourage medal-winning athletes by inviting them to his residence. The Chief Minister said the Khelo India initiative had emerged as an important platform for identifying and nurturing sporting talent from across the country.

Highlighting Odisha’s investment in sports infrastructure, Majhi said the state government was expanding facilities beyond Bhubaneswar, with investments exceeding Rs 4,000 crore in stadium development at the block level.

He also referred to the proposed Rs 1,000-crore sports complex at Gothapatna and the 2028 World Indoor Athletics Championships scheduled to be held at Kalinga Stadium, saying these initiatives would strengthen Odisha’s position as a major global sporting destination.

Hockey is Odisha’s passion: Sports Minister

Sports and Youth Services Minister Suryabanshi Suraj said hockey was not merely a sport in Odisha but a symbol of the state’s passion and identity.

He said the gold medal victories of the Indian men’s and women’s teams had brought glory to the country and the state. The performances of Rohidas, Lakra and Toppo, he added, would inspire thousands of young athletes, particularly those from rural areas, to pursue their sporting ambitions and compete at international levels.

The ceremony was attended by Hockey India president and former Rajya Sabha member Dilip Tirkey, Chief Secretary Anu Garg, Sports and Youth Services Department Commissioner-cum-Secretary Bhupendra Singh Poonia, departmental director Yedulla Vijay and other dignitaries.

The felicitation ceremony celebrated the achievements of the two national teams while reaffirming Odisha’s commitment to promoting hockey and developing the next generation of sporting talent.