Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday felicitated the Indian men’s and women’s hockey teams for winning gold medals at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan and securing qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, describing the players as role models for the country’s youth.
At a ceremony held at Kalinga Stadium here, the Chief Minister presented cash awards totalling ₹5.61 crore to the two teams and their support staff in recognition of their achievements. Each player was awarded ₹11 lakh, while every member of the support staff received ₹5.5 lakh.
The men’s team and its support staff received ₹2.75 crore, while the women’s team was awarded ₹2.86 crore. Odia hockey players Amit Rohidas, Shilanand Lakra and Sunelita Toppo were separately awarded ₹20 lakh each for their outstanding contributions.
Addressing the gathering, Majhi said the gold medal-winning players were icons of the country’s youth and a source of pride for India. He expressed confidence that the women’s team’s gold medal victory after a gap of 44 years would inspire women across the country.
The Chief Minister lauded the leadership of women’s captain Salima Tete and men’s captain Harmanpreet Singh, crediting Tete with strengthening her team through modern captaincy and praising Harmanpreet for guiding the men’s side to a second consecutive Asian Games gold.
Referring to the contribution of Odisha’s hockey players, Majhi said Amit Rohidas and Shilanand Lakra of Sundargarh district, along with Sunelita Toppo, had brought laurels to the state and the country through their talent and hard work.
Quoting eminent Odia poet Sachidananda Routray, the Chief Minister said the land that produces exceptional talent is destined to earn global recognition. He reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to sponsoring the national hockey teams.
Majhi also expressed hope that Odisha would host hockey events if India’s proposal to stage the 2036 Olympic Games materialised, coinciding with the centenary of the formation of the separate state of Odisha.
Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi for personally meeting Asian Games medal winners at his residence and boosting their morale, the Chief Minister said the Khelo India initiative had created a major platform for identifying and promoting sporting talent across the country.
Highlighting the state’s sports infrastructure push, Majhi said the government was expanding facilities beyond Bhubaneswar and building stadiums at the block level with an investment of more than ₹4,000 crore. The proposed ₹1,000-crore Global Sports Complex at Gothapatna and the 2028 World Indoor Athletics Championships at Kalinga Stadium would further strengthen Odisha’s position as a global sporting destination, he said.
Sports and Youth Services Minister Suryabanshi Suraj said hockey was not merely a sport in Odisha but a passion and a symbol of the state’s identity. He said the Asian Games victories had enhanced the prestige of both India and Odisha, adding that the performances of Rohidas, Lakra and Toppo would inspire young athletes, particularly in rural areas, to pursue international sporting careers.
Hockey India president and former Rajya Sabha MP Dilip Tirkey, Chief Secretary Anu Garg, Sports Department Commissioner-cum-Secretary Bhupendra Singh Poonia and Director Yedulla Vijay, among others, attended the felicitation ceremony.
