Hockey is the “game of artistry combined with a protein shake”. Truly, the way the players dribble the ball, the drag-flickers and the shootout they execute, there is no wrong in sayings they as the artist of the game. This year the world has enjoyed the latest edition of the men’s hockey world cup which was hosted in Odisha, India. The eyes of the spectators were glued to the performance of the 16 participant teams. The updated infrastructure and glazing stadiums of Rourkela and Bhubaneswar were making every second of those 70 minutes of the game counted. But, let me take you into the past when field hockey was first introduced in India. Hockey was initially, introduced by the British, who were very much passionate about the game. Interestingly, due to colonial influence, hockey became the first modern game to penetrate rural and tribal belts of India. In this way, hockey has come a long way in India and has made a place in the hearts of Indians.
The latest world cup of men’s hockey was inaugurated in the Barbati stadium, Cuttack, ODISHA. It was a compact event of 17 days with spectators from all over the world. The matches were scheduled in Kalinga stadium, Bhubaneswar and Birsa Munda stadium, Rourkela. With this world cup, India also got one of the largest hockey stadiums i.e., Birsa Munda stadium, Rourkela. The official mascot was ”OLI”, named after the vulnerable olive ridley turtles. And, the official song was “ Kehta Hai India, hockey Hai Dil Mera”, which made the event more enthusiastic.
All 16 participating teams displayed outstanding performance, given the passion and competition of the game. The Indian team made a deserving start. When, Amit Rohidas, the vice-captain scored the opening goal against Spain, that too in his native land Rourkela, it enthused the Indian crowd. But unfortunately, the Indian side was unable to make it into the Quarter-final in the later stage. Along with India, many other deserving teams were knocked out in the subsequent stage. At last, the final was played between Belgium and Germany. And finally, Germany became victorious over the defending champions Belgium. With the victory of the Germans, the 15th edition of hockey concluded with great pomp and cheer.
But hosting the world cup two times consecutively is not an easy task. It requires professional planning, responsibility and passion for the game. Accordingly, India, especially Odisha has faced many challenges. Throughout the tournament, Odisha has witnessed social and economic hurdles. To build a completely new hockey stadium, acquiring land and displacing locals was a big social challenge. At the same time renewing the infrastructure, advertising and promoting the game was a huge economic burden. But the unbeatable passion and strong leadership of the Hon’ble CM of Odisha Shri Naveen Pattanaik made the dream come true. Also, the enthusiastic support of the Indian government and Hockey India made the identity of India in field hockey more contrasting.
With the successful completion of the latest edition of the 2023 world cup, there are a few learnings that can be derived. Firstly, Odisha, which is considered a relatively poor state, has proven that even limited resources can result in better outcomes with proper planning and management. Secondly, the mascot was chosen as “Oli” to represent olive ridley turtles. This gave the audience an insight into their responsibility towards the nature and environment. Thirdly, many deserving teams like India, Australia and the Netherlands along with many others were defeated. But still, these players left the stadium with smiling faces, this reflected their “sporting spirit”. Lastly, the winners i.e., Germany were the ultimate dark horse of the tournament. By defeating many strong sides and erstwhile champions, Germany proved that solid determination and self-belief are ultimately what matters.
Thus, the 15th edition of FIH HOCKEY was a collective display of dedication, responsibility and passion. It was a display of the dedication of players. It was a display of responsible political leadership. And it was a display of exponential passion of the spectators. Accordingly, the world cup has once again proven that India is truly the land of hockey and Indians nurture the game in their hearts “JAI HIND”.
By Nigam Khamari, writer currently resides in the city of Bhubaneswar, Odisha
