Events

Collector Dr Parag Harshad Gavali held a vital meet with sports veterans and Associations 

Mega plans are afoot to build up the hockey momentum in Sundargarh district. The district administration has chalked out elaborate plans to celebrate the FIH Odisha Men’s Hockey World Cup 2023 as an ‘inclusive’ festival. 

With barely 4-months left for the big tournament to be played in Bhubaneswar and Sundargarh, a first in the hockey history, the countdown has begun for the mega sports carnival in the district.

As a befitting tribute to the super tournament, the district administration took a decision to hold an array of sports and cultural programmes across the district- right from villages to the towns.  

Chairing a special meeting on Friday at Rourkela Municipal Corporation’s Council Hall in this regard, Collector and DM Dr Parag Gavali made an appeal to ensure larger public participation for the successful culmination of the World Cup tournament.

The Collector had a detailed deliberation with the leading sports associations and veterans of the district, and sought their cooperation in preparing a blueprint for the public programmes to be held in the district.  

“We have plans to make the grand hockey festival an inclusive event. The objective is to connect all sections of the society to the marquee event,” said Dr Gavali.

He further said, “Towards achieving the inclusivity, hockey tournaments will be organized across the rural and urban centres. Under a people connect programme, sportspersons will join with the public to organize various sports competitions.”  

“A series of quiz, painting and sports competitions will be organized for school and college students. In order to make this international trophy memorable, a host of attractive programmes for all sections of public will soon be announced. I request all sports, cultural and social organizations to cooperate with the administration,” the Collector said.  

 In the meeting, the district administration shared the plans and vision with the sports associations. The Associations have also presented their proposals before the administration. The Collector encouraged the associations to submit more proposals in a written format. 

Sundargarh is the hockey cradle of the country. The district administration plans a theme song for the hockey carnival at Rourkela. The meet has also decided for a van with audio visual awareness messages to tour the district. Also, school students will be given a demo on the hockey sport skills. 

The meeting has decided to launch a special programme where the ‘frames’ of the myriads of promo and awareness events will be posted on social media to widen the outreach. The District Collector requested the public to post their opinions and proposals on the administration’s social handles.

The meeting was attended by Addl Collector-cum-RMC Commissioner Dr Subhankar Mohapatra and RMC Dy Commissioner Sudhansu Kumar Bhoi.