Bhubaneswar: Odisha govt on Friday honoured India’s men’s and women’s hockey teams with cash awards worth Rs 5.61 crore for winning gold medals at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan and qualifying for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Each player received Rs 11 lakh and support staff Rs 5.5 lakh.Chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi felicitated the players, coaches and support staff at a function held at Kalinga Stadium. The men’s team and its support staff received a total of Rs 2.75 crore, while the women’s contingent was awarded Rs 2.86 crore.In addition, Odisha players Amit Rohidas, Shilanand Lakra and Sunelita Toppo, all from Sundargarh district, were given special cash awards of Rs 20 lakh each.Describing the players as “true icons of the youth”, Majhi said their achievements had become a source of inspiration for the younger generation and a matter of pride for the country. The women’s team’s gold medal, won after a gap of 44 years, will particularly inspire women across India, he added.Reiterating Odisha’s commitment to hockey, the chief minister said the state would continue as the official sponsor of the Indian hockey teams. He also expressed confidence that Odisha could host hockey events if India succeeds in its bid to stage the 2036 Olympics.Highlighting the state’s sports infrastructure push, Majhi said Odisha is building stadiums at the block level with an investment of over Rs 4,000 crore. The proposed Rs 1,000-crore Global Sports Complex at Gothapatna and hosting the 2028 World Indoor Athletics Championships at Kalinga Stadium will further strengthen Odisha’s position as a global sports destination, he added.Sports and youth services minister Suryabanshi Suraj said hockey was not merely a sport in Odisha but an emotion and a symbol of identity. He said the achievements of Rohidas, Lakra and Toppo would inspire aspiring athletes from rural Odisha to dream big and compete on the international stage.Hockey India president Dillip Tirkey and chief secretary Anu Garg were among those present at the felicitation ceremony.
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