The Sports Capital of India - Odisha

Odisha, located on the eastern coast of India, has earned the title of the "Sports Capital of the Nation" due to its strong emphasis on sports development and its successful adoption of the sport of hockey.

Hockey has been the state's official sport for several years now and Odisha has taken several steps to promote and develop the sport. One of the key steps was the establishment of the Kalinga Lancers, a professional hockey team that competes in the Hockey India League. This has provided a platform for local athletes to showcase their talents and also helped in popularizing the sport. Further development of sports infrastructure both at a grassroots (sports academies and training centers) and building state-of-the-art hockey stadiums (Kalinga & Birsa Munda International Stadium) has also been a driving force. These facilities provide young athletes with opportunities to train and develop their skills in hockey, as well as other sports. The state also has a large number of schools and colleges that have hockey teams, and many young players get their start in the sport through these teams.

Effective implementation of Sports Policy has laid down a strong foundation aiming to promote sports development and create opportunities for young athletes. The policy focuses on providing financial assistance to sports clubs and organizations, as well as setting up sports training centers and academies. That states efforts to promote hockey have also been recognized by the national government, which has provided funding and support for the state's initiatives. This has helped to attract top teams and players from around the country to compete in Orissa, further raising the profile of the sport.

Odisha has been on the forefront for hosting International Sporting events across various sports like Athletics (2017 Asian Athletics Championship), Badminton (2022 BWF World Tour), Football (2019 Women's Gold Cup | 2022 FIFA's Women's World Cup), Rugby (Asia U18's Girls Rugby Sevens Championship), Table Tennis (2019 Commonwealth TT Championship) & of course Hockey (2014 Hockey Champions Trophy | 2017 FIH Hockey World League | 2018 Hockey World Cup | 2021 Men's FIH Junior World Cup | & the current 2023 Men's FIH Hockey World Cup).

The success of Odisha in adopting and promoting hockey serves as a model for other states in India looking to adopt a sport other than mainstream sports like cricket. Other states can learn from Orissa's focus on investing in sports infrastructure, promoting the sport at the grassroots level, hosting major events and providing opportunities for young athletes to train and compete.