Cuttack: The inaugural ceremony of the Hockey World Cup has kicked off at Barabati Stadium here amid a colorful programme.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, Odisha Sports Minister Tusharkanti Behera and Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey launched mega event amid a gallery-full audiences and hockey lovers.
The CM welcomed all the guests and thanked the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Central Government for continuous support in organizing the great event.
Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur also praised the State government for hosting the Hockey World Cup for a second time. He said that it was the most magnificent event in Odisha. No matter how many World Cups are held, Odisha is the big one, he added.
International Hockey Federation president Tayyab Ikram Ikram, who was also a part of the inaugural ceremony, complimented Odisha for hosting the mega event twice consecutively, the last one being in 2018. He called the state the “Land of Hockey”
The special attraction of the event is music and dance shows of Ollywood and Bollywood stars. Bollywood actor Ranbir Singh and actress Disha Patani dominated the show with their spectacular performance during the grand celebration. Bollywood music director Pritam and Black Swan Group have also added colour to the mega programme.
Artiste like Aruna Mohanty, Smiti Mishra, Prince Dance Group, Rituraj Mohanty and Ollywood star couple Sabyasachi-Archita also stole the show by their scintillating performance.
The event at the picturesque Barabati stadium was marked by cultural programmes by a host of state and national lever performers.
