Bhubaneswar is the sports capital of India: International Hockey Federation president Narinder Dhruv Batra

Meanwhile, Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi reviewed progress of the projects at the first Governing Body Committee meeting of Hockey World Cup-2018.

BHUBANESWAR: By redefining the spirit of Hockey World Cup by its global promotion, unheard and unseen in any host country before, Odisha has taken the sports of the soil to an enviable level. It was so much acclaimed by president of International Hockey Federation (FIH) Narinder Dhruv Batra, when he said, “Bhubaneswar is the sports capital of India.”

“With four stands and increased capacity, the Kalinga Stadium has set a new bench-mark for ‘World Class’. The player’s asylum is best so far I have seen,” Batra said after taking stock of the preparations at the venue of the Odisha Men’s Hockey World Cup-2018.

Meanwhile, Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi reviewed progress of the projects at the first Governing Body Committee meeting of Hockey World Cup-2018.

Padhi directed the departments and agencies concerned to complete all works before the scheduled date. Stress was also laid on quality of food, water and fire safety in hotels and guest houses where the players will put up. Health and tourism officers were asked to check safety and health standards in the hotels. Sports and Youth Welfare Secretary Vishal Dev was present.

Development Commissioner R Balakrishnan, Additional Chief Secretary, Home, Asit Kumar Tripathy, Additional Chief Secretary, Finance, Tuhin Kanta Pandey, Director General of Police Rajendra Prasad Sharma, Sports and Youth Services, Secretary, Vishal Kumar Dev, Principal Secretaries, Secretaries of departments concerned along with top officials from India Hockey League and FIH participated.

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The renovated World Cup venue, Kalinga Stadium, will be inaugurated on October 10 with an exhibition match. ‘Peace Flame’ will be lit at Dhauli and from there the players will march to Kalinga Stadium with the torch On November 20. The matches would be telecast live from the stadium through large LED screens at Janata Maidan, Ekamra Hat, KIIT, Unit-1 Market of Bhubaneswar, Puri sea beach and Rourkela. It will also be screened in different districts. Trophy showcase canter would tour Odisha with hockey stick to ‘measure the heartbeat’ from October 14 to November 14.

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