Field hockey is the most popular sport in the state. In a first-of-its-kind association, the Government of Odisha, has become the first state government in India to sponsor a national team. In early 2018, the government launched its sporting logo, signing a five-year sponsorship agreement with Hockey India, replacing the former sponsors.[3]Odisha field hockey team has been providing India, with some extremely talented players, who eventually are called up for the national teams, i.e. India men's national field hockey team and India women's national field hockey team.
In 2019, the Government of Odisha, Tata Steel & Tata Trusts (Hockey Ace foundation) joined hands to launch Odisha Naval Tata Hockey High Performance Centre to train and prepare the next generation of hockey talent in the state. [5]
International players
Not an exhaustive list
Represented in major events (Olympics/World Cup/Asian Games/Asia Cup/Commonwealth Games)
Weightlifting is a popular sport in Odisha and is immensely popular in the Ganjam district, especially in the city of Brahmapur.[8] The Odisha Weightlifting Association (OWA) is the administrating governing body for weightlifting in Odisha.
The Government of Odisha, in collaboration with various entities, have launched a few High Performance Centres at Kalinga Stadium in order to provide high-class training, facilities and infrastructure to the young sportsmen of Odisha. The list of HPCs is as follows:
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