Naveen Patnaik Inaugurates Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium

ROURKELA: The chief minister of Odisha inaugurated the newly constructed Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium in Rourkela of state. This will be one of the main venues for the upcoming FIH Men's Hockey World Cup in the state.

Built with a total expenditure of Rs 261 Cr, this is called one of the biggest hockey stadiums in the world. Named after the tribal freedom fighter from the region, Birsa Munda, this stadium has been completed in a record time of only fifteen months.

Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium in Rourkela and Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar will host the matches of the upcoming Hockey World Cup. The state of Odisha is hosting the International Hockey Federation's Hockey World Cup. This is the second consecutive time that this Indian State is hosting this international tournament. It will flag off on January 13 and end by January 29.

The Government of Odisha has been the title sponsor for both the Indian hockey teams for several years. Inaugurating the new stadium, the chief minister announced additional prize money of Rs 1 Cr to each of the team members if the Indian team manages to win the Hockey World Cup. He added that it will be the biggest gift from Odisha to the county, especially to the game of hockey.

He also opened the World Cup Village in the stadium complex to house all the players of the tournament. Created within nine months, this complex has a total of 225 rooms equipped with all the necessary amenities and facilities. Calling this state-of-the-art stadium an important chapter in the history of hockey in India, he invited everyone to visit and enjoy the matches live in the stadium.

Naveen Patnaik also interacted with the members of the Indian team and wished them the very best for the tournament.

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