Junior Girls hockey tournament in May

Jharsuguda: The Jharsuguda District Hockey Association has been actively working over the past three years to popularise hockey in the district. Various initiatives, including school-level awareness programmes and zonal tournaments, have been undertaken to encourage children to take active interest in the sport. Many organisations and individuals have come forward to support the association’s efforts.

In a significant development, Collector Aboli Sunil Naravane, who is also the president of the Hockey Association, has given administrative approval for the construction of an AstroTurf hockey ground. The proposal has been forwarded to the Public Works department. An all-India level tender will be floated soon for its execution. Additionally, discussions have begun regarding the construction of a hockey hostel at H Kantapali Hockey Stadium. Plans are also in place to build a gallery accommodating 3,000 spectators. Meanwhile, work has already started on a conference hall on the upper floor of the administrative office of the stadium.

In terms of competitions, a club-level hockey tournament has been scheduled in the last week of March. Furthermore, in May, Jharsuguda will host the All-India 5A Side Junior Girls’ Hockey Tournament. This prestigious tournament will be held in Odisha for the first time. Teams from Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha will participate in the tournament.

Prabir Kumar Nayak, Hockey Association secretary and Chief Development Officer of the Zilla Parishad, is actively working to ensure the event’s success.

In another key development, Jeevan Mohanty, vice-president of Hockey Association Odisha, has written to Bargarh MP Pradeep Purohit seeking construction of a hockey gate near the stadium. He has also extended gratitude to Collector Naravane, Jharsuguda MLA Tankadhar Tripathy and Revenue Minister Suresh Kumar Pujari for their support in the development of hockey infrastructure.

The efforts of the district administration and the hockey association are expected to boost the sport’s growth in the region and provide young players with better facilities and opportunities.