Odisha Celebrates Historic Asian Games Hockey Triumph with Rs 5.61 Crore Cash Payout

Bhubaneswar: Hailing the national hockey teams as "the true icons of our youth," Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi felicitated the gold-medalist Indian men's and women's squads at a grand ceremony in Kalinga Stadium on Friday.

The event celebrated a historic double-gold outing at the Asian Games 2026 in Japan, a dominant performance that automatically secured both teams berths at the upcoming 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

To honor the milestone, the Odisha government doled out a combined Rs 5.61 crore in cash rewards. Every player from both squads received Rs 11 lakh, while support staff members were awarded Rs 5.5 lakh each. In total, the men's contingent and staff received Rs 2.75 crore, and the women's contingent secured Rs 2.86 crore.

Spotlight on Local Heroes

Special recognition was reserved for the state's homegrown talent. Odia players Amit Rohidas, Shilanand Lakra, and Sunelita Toppo – all hailing from the hockey heartland of Sundargarh district – were awarded an additional Rs 20 lakh each for their standout contributions.

Chief Minister Majhi drew special attention to the women's squad, noting that their gold-medal victory ended a grueling 44-year drought and would serve as an inspiration for women nationwide.

Quoting legendary Odia poet Sachhi Routray, Majhi remarked, "The soil where talented individuals are born undoubtedly gains global renown."

He reaffirmed Odisha’s ongoing commitment as the official sponsor of the national hockey teams and expressed strong optimism that the state will host premier hockey events during the centenary of Odisha's statehood in 2036, coinciding with India's potential Olympic bid.

Captains Harmanpreet Singh and Salima Tete earned high praise for their leadership. Majhi credited Tete with pioneering a modern, empowering style of captaincy, while lauding Singh’s unwavering determination in steering the men's team to back-to-back Asian Games gold.

A Growing Sports Powerhouse

The Chief Minister also credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision and the Khelo India mission for surfacing grass-roots talent across the country, while pointing to Odisha's aggressive state-level infrastructure rollout. Beyond Bhubaneswar, the state is investing over Rs 4,000 crores in block-level stadiums, a planned Rs 1,000-crore Global Sports Complex in Gothapatna, and upcoming high-profile events like the 2028 World Indoor Athletics Championships.

Sports and Youth Services Minister Suryabanshi Suraj echoed these sentiments, telling the crowd that hockey in Odisha is "not just a game, but an emotion and a symbol of our identity."

The ceremony drew a high-profile gathering, including Hockey India President and former Rajya Sabha MP Dilip Tirkey, Chief Secretary Anu Garg, Sports Department Commissioner-cum-Secretary Bhupendra Singh Punia, and Department Director Yedulla Vijay.