The Odisha Naval Tata Hockey High Performance Centre (HPC), set up in Bhubaneswar with a vision to groom the upcoming sporting talent in hockey and produce world-class sportspersons, has commenced its boys’ resident programme at the Kalinga Hockey Complex.
A total of 31 cadets have been selected for the programme. These players, in the age group of U-17 years, have been chosen from a two-week long selection camp that was held from November 17 to December 1 last in Bhubaneswar and was attended by 100 cadets.
While 21 players are from Odisha, seven are from Manipur, two from Uttar Pradesh and one from Assam. The Hockey HPC has also created a standby list of 8 (5 from Odisha) talented players. The HPC has also recommended some players to sports hostels run by the Department of Sports and Youth Services in Panposh and Sundargarh. These hostels are also Regional Development Centres and serve as a stepping stone to the Odisha Naval Tata Hockey HPC. The formal inauguration was held recently at the Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar, and was attended by the chief guest Minister of Sports and Youth Services, Electronics and IT Tusharkanti Behera along with Principal Secretary, Sports & Youth Services and Tourism Vishal Kumar Dev, Padma Dillip Tirkey, Vice President Corporate Services, Tata Steel, and Chairman, Hockey Ace Foundation (HAF) Chanakya Chaudhary and CEO, HAF Goutam Mukherjee.