Bhubaneswar: The 76th State Police Hockey Championship-2026 began at Kalinga Stadium here on Monday, with 360 players representing 18 police teams from different ranges and battalions of Odisha Police taking part in the tournament.
Chief Minister’s Advisor and former IPS officer Prakash Mishra inaugurated the championship as the chief guest and said Odisha’s contribution to the growth and popularity of hockey in India was unparalleled.
He said the state government’s continued support to Indian hockey and the presence of ‘Odisha’ on the jersey of the national hockey team were matters of pride for the people of the state. Mishra also highlighted the Odisha Police women’s hockey team’s third-place finish in the All-India Police Hockey Tournament and expressed hope that both the men’s and women’s teams would achieve greater success.
Mishra said sporting competitions among police personnel help build self-confidence, team spirit, discipline and dedication to duty. The participation of players from different districts, ranges and battalions would also strengthen coordination and cooperation within the police force, he added.
The championship will continue till September 25. On the opening day, Commissionerate-B defeated Koraput district 6-0, while Berhampur district beat OSAP 8th Battalion, Chhatrapur 3-1. The 4th IR Battalion, Deogarh defeated OSAP 3rd Battalion, Koraput 4-2 in a penalty shootout, while OSAP 4th Battalion, Rourkela registered a 4-0 win over OISF, Bhubaneswar.
Several senior police officers, including ADG (Law & Order) Sanjay Kumar, Police Commissioner S Debadatta Singh, ADG (SAP) Rajesh Kumar, ADG (Headquarters) Prateek Mohanty and IGP (Crime Branch) Sarthak Sarangi, attended the inaugural ceremony.
