As 2023 draws to a close, various significant events have had an impact on Odisha throughout the year. Notable occurrences include the Bahanaga train mishap, the killing of Health Minister Naba Kishore Das, and the Odisha Millet Convention. Here are the top 5 events that have impacted our lives in 2023 so far.
2023 Men’s FIH Hockey World Cup
Odisha hosted the 15th edition of the Men’s FIH Hockey World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for men’s national field hockey teams organised by the International Hockey Federation for the second consecutive term. It was held at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar and the 20,000-seat Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium in Rourkela, arguably the biggest hockey stadium in the world, from January 13 to 29, 2023.
Sixteen teams competed in the tournament. Alongside hosts, India, the five continental champions received an automatic berth. After the postponement of the 2020 Summer Olympics, the quota of places available through continental championships, including the World Cup hosts, was increased from six to 16.
Germany won their third title after defeating the defending champions Belgium in the final 5-4 in a shoot-out after the match finished 3-3 in regular time. The Netherlands captured the bronze medal by winning 3-1 against Australia. India secured the 9th place in the tournament.
Bahanaga Three-Train Accident
On 2 June 2023, three trains collided near Bahanaga Bazar railway station in Odisha’s Balasore district. The Coromandel Express entered the passing loop instead of the main line near Bahanaga Bazar railway station at full speed and collided with a goods train. Due to the high speed of the Coromandel Express, its 21 coaches derailed and three of those collided with the oncoming SMVT Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express on the adjacent track.
A total of 296 people were killed in the crash and more than 1,200 others were injured. Identification of bodies was made more difficult due to burns or other trauma, causing officials to use luggage, phones, and other belongings to try to identify the passengers. DNA tests were also used to identify the dead. It was India’s deadliest railway crash since the Firozabad rail collision in 1995. It was also the deadliest rail disaster worldwide since the 2004 Sri Lanka tsunami train wreck.
Odisha Millet Convention
With the declaration of 2023 as the International Year of Millets by the United Nations, the Government of Odisha organised a two-day international convention on millets at Janata Maidan in Bhubaneswar on November 9 and 10. Christened International Convention on Millets (ICM), the event was inaugurated by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in the presence of many experts working in the field of millet cultivation and consumption.
With the theme ‘Millets – Ancient Grains for Modern Challenges,’ the ICM featured farmer engagement activities, displaying emerging technologies and farm machinery, experience centers, technical sessions, policy roundtables, B2B meetings, international food festival, quiz competitions, cooking competitions, and many more.
The ICM aimed to awaken people to the high nutritional value of millet and promote its cultivation and consumption not only in Odisha and India but also across the globe. The focus of the ICM was on the tribal heritage of millets and showcasing the success stories of millet entrepreneurship of Mission Shakti self-help groups.
AIFF-FIFA Talent Academy
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Arsene Wenger, chief of Global Football Development at FIFA, inaugurated the AIFF-FIFA Talent Academy in Bhubaneswar on November 21. The academy is the first of its kind in India.
A total of 50 talented football players, including 15 from Odisha, in the Under-14 category, will be selected for the academy from across the country FIFA has appointed Sergi Amezcua Fontrodona as the FIFA-trained coach to implement the project and act as the head coach at the FIFA-AIFF academy.
The talent academy is a major initiative to boost football development in India. AIFF and FIFA are partnering with the Odisha government in establishing this academy.
The FIFA TDS is a programme aimed at collaborating with different Member Associations across the world to increase the competitiveness of their national teams. The FIFA has also rolled out its Talent Coaching Programme, with which it intends to provide active on-ground support to the Member Associations.
Odisha Skill Conclave 2023
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated the three-day unique ‘Odisha Skill Conclave-2023’ at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on April 20.
Industry 4.0 and the Future of Work and Skills are currently the focus in the skilling industry. The Government of Odisha has allocated a budget of Rs 100 crore for the ‘NUA Odisha’ scheme to train 100,000 youths in future technologies like Cloud Computing, Artificial Intelligence, Augmented Reality-Virtual Reality, Data Science, 3-D printing, and other advanced knowledge. Achieving this requires collaboration among Central ministries, state government departments, industry, academia, and civil societies.
Addressing the large audience on the occasion, Chief Minister Naveen said, “This is a time when our country is undergoing a significant transformation. Rapid technological advancements and changing job markets have made it imperative for us to invest in our human capital and equip our young generation with the skills they need to succeed in the 21st century.”
