Bhubaneswar: The Indian Men’s Hockey Team, which won the Olympic bronze, along with Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey, visited the Leader of Opposition, Shri Naveen Patnaik, at Naveen Niwas on Thursday.
Shri Patnaik extended his congratulations to the players on their victory and encouraged them to continue striving for the nation’s glory in the future. He expressed hope that India would secure a gold medal in hockey at the next Olympics. The opposition leader honoured the players with the ‘Konark Chakra’. The players also gifted Shri Patnaik jerseys signed by them.
In response to the felicitations, they acknowledged that the Indian hockey team will remain indebted to Odisha and its people for their unwavering support and cooperation. In a time when hockey lacked sponsorship, Naveen Patnaik made a pivotal decision, leading Odisha to sponsor the Indian hockey team. This support has been instrumental in the team’s two consecutive medal wins at the Olympics. The players expressed their gratitude to Shri Patnaik, crediting the resurgence of Indian hockey’s prestige to the support of the people of Odisha.
